Interview with a Librarian

I recently went to one of the schools in Mobile County, specifically St. Elmo Elementary School. I sat down and talked to Laura Dawes, the Librarian and the Technology Advisor. I first informed her of the project that we were doing (Project on Books vs. Technological Devices) and asked if she could give me her opinion as a professional as well as her personal opinion. Mrs. Dawes first told me that she loved the idea of the Kindle saying that, " It takes up less space and you do not have to have your own library to store a bunch of books." I then asked her is she thought that books were ever going to be replaced by devices such as the Kindle. She said, " I don't see books going away in my lifetime or in my children's lifetime. There is just something about holding a book in your hand." She further went on to say, " also there is something about the smell of a book that cannot be substituted." I told her that I agreed but asked her about the convenience of the Kindle? Her response was, "try going to the airport with a Kindle and have to go through the different security check points instead of walking through with a book, and see how much you like it." I laughed and said that I hadn't thought of that. Finally I asked her about the classics and if she appreciated the idea of those books being put on the Kindle. Mrs. Dawes told me that she did not mind having the classics put on the Kindle or books on tape, she just said, "That means I will get more for my autographed, first addition!"
I couldn't have agreed more with her. There are many books and many people that find sitting down with a good book cannot be replaced by the use of a computerized device. However, when it came to textbooks, we both agreed that it might be cheaper in the long run if schools adopted these devices to replace textbooks. Especially in the high school and college settings.
So here we are again, stuck in the middle. Each option has its advantages and its disadvantages. What do you think? Which would you rather have a good book or a Kindle or other technological device?