magazines, pocketbooks, textbooks

In college a student is privileged to borrow a certain number of books for a certain number of days. If a book is only good for two days and you haven't read it within the period allowed, one can always have it renewed. One simply has no reason not to be reading in college. Magazines, newspapers, books of all sorts are available for borrowing but it seems that some books have gathered dust and remained untouched all these years. Why? The internet. Students seldom borrow books nowadays because of the internet which has made them lazy actually. Some have not even seen what a book looks like. One particular student of mine did not know how to locate the name of the author and publication company. It's just incredible but this is what is happening to most of the students now. They always use the internet as ready excuse to not go to the library or to not borrow any book.

Okey. Libraries have updated their facilities and services and have, inside its area, a special room for those who would like to surf or do research online. Yes, libraries have computers available to students who have work to do online. But this fact still does not make students borrow books. Students always opt to use the easy way and you will notice them flocking in the computer area while the periodicals and the card catalogues sections now look like they're facing extinction. The rows and rows of book shelves with myriads of knowledge stored and locked within the pages of books now look like tombs in the middle of the night----dead silent and seldom visited.

I belonged to a generation of students who actually got hold of real books to gain information. We carried these heavy books from school to house and vice versa. It was a different kind of time because the search for knowledge seemed to be more challenging and more real.

Today's students pride themselves of being able to gain access to knowledge the fastest way through the internet. All sorts of cheating can happen with this method of seeking knowledge where there is very little or no control at all in the materials one can get his hands on. Verifying and checking is not easy as there are innumerable sites that offer free information and materials. In short, students coming up with dishonest papers would become common. Learning will thus be greatly diminished.

Magazines, pocketbooks, books.....I prefer those in which I can use a page marker and in which I can highlight and write some notes on the margins.