--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Today the sight that discourages book…" description: "\"“Today the sight that discourages book people most is to walk into a public library and see computers where books used to be. In many cases not even th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/larry-mcmurtry-2540_books_today-the-sight-that-discourages-book-pe_650730.jpg" --- # Today the sight that discourages book people most is to… ![“Today the sight that discourages book people most is to walk into a public library and see computers where books used to be. In many cases not even the librarians want books to be there. What consumers want now is information, and information increasingly comes from computers. That is a preference…” quote by Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/larry-mcmurtry-2540_books_today-the-sight-that-discourages-book-pe_650730.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/larry-mcmurtry-2540_books_today-the-sight-that-discourages-book-pe_650730.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/larry-mcmurtry-2540_books_today-the-sight-that-discourages-book-pe_650730.jpg) > ““Today the sight that discourages book people most is to walk into a public library and see computers where books used to be. In many cases not even the librarians want books to be there. What consumers want now is information, and information increasingly comes from computers. That is a preference I can’t grasp, much less share, though I’m well aware that computers have many valid uses. They save lives, and they make research in most cases a thing that’s almost instantaneous. They do many good things. But they don’t really do what books do, and why should they usurp the chief function of a public library, which is to provide readers access to books? Books can accommodate the proximity of computers but it doesn’t seem to work the other way around. Computers now literally drive out books from the place that should, by definition, be books’ own home: the library.”” [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Digital media threatens traditional library roles, but books remain essential for deep, reflective reading that computers cannot replace. **In simple terms:** Computers can’t fully replace books in libraries. Key Takeaway Advocate for balanced integration of tech and print. Themes technology preservation education Mood concerned optimistic Type analytical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - library policy meetings - school curricula - community workshops - author talks Key Concepts information access cultural heritage Questions to Reflect On - Should libraries prioritize digital collections over physical books? - How can libraries preserve the unique value of books? A Different Perspective Digital resources may improve access but can diminish tactile reading experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Access Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access-books-1813705/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-consumers-5204530/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Good thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Librarians Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/librarians-want-5204529/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Library Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library-computers-5204531/) [Public library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-library/) ## Related quotes > [With 'The Librarians,' we want to be a smart, fun, crazy, genre show, but we also want to be something that people of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-devlin/with-the-librarians-we-want-to-be-a-smart-fun-crazy-genre-show-but-we/) [Dean Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-devlin/) > [I could listen to the radio and I had access to books from time to time. 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Computers now literally drive out books from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/books-can-accommodate-the-proximity-of-computers-but-it-doesn-t-seem/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [The reason men are so awful is because some woman has spoiled them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/the-reason-men-are-so-awful-is-because-some-woman-has-spoiled-them/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [“Sometimes Sonny felt like he was the only human creature in the town. It was a bad feeling, and it usually came on him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/sometimes-sonny-felt-like-he-was-the-only-human-creature-in-the-town/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [“. . . he had learned in his years of tracking Indians that things which seemed impossible often weren't. They only became so if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/he-had-learned-in-his-years-of-tracking-indians-that-things-which/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [It's a fine world, though rich in hardships at times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/it-s-a-fine-world-though-rich-in-hardships-at-times/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [Nobody run off with her,” Roscoe said. "She just run off with herself, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/nobody-run-off-with-her-roscoe-said-she-just-run-off-with-herself-i/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [Americans' lack of passion for history is well known. History may not quite be bunk, as Henry Ford suggested, but there's no denying that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/americans-lack-of-passion-for-history-is-well-known-history-may-not/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [I never met a soul in this world as normal as me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/i-never-met-a-soul-in-this-world-as-normal-as-me/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [“I figured out something, Lorie,” he said. “I figured out why you and me get along so well. You know more than you say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/i-figured-out-something-lorie-he-said-i-figured-out-why-you-and-me/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) [Explore all 162 Larry McMurtry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. 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Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Today the sight that discourages book people most is to walk into a public library and see computers where books used to be. In many cases not even the librarians want books to be there. What consumers want now is information, and information increasingly comes from computers. That is a preference I can’t grasp, much less share, though I’m well aware that computers have many valid uses. They save lives, and they make research in most cases a thing that’s almost instantaneous. They do many good things. But they don’t really do what books do, and why should they usurp the chief function of a public library, which is to provide readers access to books? Books can accommodate the proximity of computers but it doesn’t seem to work the other way around. 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