The WWW is a wonderful resource. More and more things are appearing on it. But the UNC-CH Library it ain't -- and never will be. Nor is the wealth of any good library completely available online.

For over two hundred years the students and faculty and library personnel of UNC Chapel Hill have worked at building a great library system. The taxpayers of North Carolina (who include most of the students and their parents, and all of the faculty and library personnel) have spent millions of dollars supporting it.

The WWW is no match for a good library. Not now. And, especially in the humanities, probably not ever. Abandoning the library and books for the web would be like grabbing a handful of leaves from a low branch and forgetting about the oak tree.