The following is a true story.
Sensing a presence I hadn't heard approaching, I looked up from my desk
to find a shy smiling young (and I do mean young) man holding an old CCH
transfer binder.
"Excuse me," he says. "I think I need help."
I smile. His aura emanates innocence, inexperience, youth.
He points to a page inside the CCH volume explaining it reproduces the
SEC release he wants. Despite his amazing feat in finding this release
in a BOOK, his discovery is not the point of this message.
He asks, "Is there an online source where I can print a copy?"
Now I'm confused. To make sure I understand his question, I confirm
that he wants an online source for the same SEC release he holds in his
hand.
"Yes," he concurs.
I can't help myself. "Why?" I ask.
Flipping the transfer binder around, he shows me how difficult it would
be to photocopy. The binding is tight.
"No problem," I explain showing him the screws for taking apart the
binding.
"Yes," he admits to noticing them earlier, "but isn't it just easier to
get it online?"
Does this incident not illustrate a generation gap? For this young man,
locating and printing a copy of a document online is easier than
removing screws from a book in which he has already found the document!
The computer is a tool, a friend; the book is foreign, baffling.
The moral for me? Well, for one thing, this weekend I'm going to make
sure my son knows what to do with a screwdriver, hammer and nails!
Genie
-- Genie Tyburski, Research Librarian Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLPWeb Manager: The Virtual Chase at http://www.virtualchase.com/index.shtml SLA, Legal Division at http://www.slalegal.org/
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