The book is dead.

Mostly I don't bother to comment on these news stories. You know, the ones that come out every few months pronouncing the book dead. There was another one yesterday on the late news here (look for the video on the CTV website about Word on the Street, a fab event BTW).

The husband and I have a "schtick" for this now. He says, "Hey, did you know the book's dead?" and I put on my most sad librarian face and reply "No, s***, really?," implying I am now out of a job.

Here's the thing about libraries: we are not a format, we are a service. I love books, granted; I am a bit in love with them, even. But it's easy to fall in love with the physicality of books, or even to be intoxicated by the iPad; it's a mistake to venerate either book or iPad at the expense of all other forms of knowledge.

I'm a librarian, but I don't care if you read parchment, paperback, or hardcover; I don't care if you listen to books on CD, iPod or DAISY player; I don't care if you like to be read to. I don't care if you're standing on your head, or on the bus, or reading off the cereal box. I just care if you're reading.

And that human impulse will never die. So I'm not worried.