Let me put something on the table. How long do you think Amazon and Google are going to last? I mean, in terms of human history, not in terms of the stock market and such. If the written legacy is left in digital form and in the hands of corporations, it is almost guaranteed that a large part of it will disappear. Printed books and libraries have a great track record -- when they haven't been destroyed in wars, fires, etc., of course, but that kind of destruction applies to everything.
The printed book is the ultimate people's tool, as is the public library. They require no intermediaries and no experts. Get book, read book, think about book, maybe learn something, done.
Best,
mrt
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