Desktop Research Replacing Traditional Research
I’m not that old, but I remember the days when you had to spend long hours at the library to find the research necessary for a solid paper.  In fact, you really couldn’t get away with not using reference books, journals, and microfiche at least several times a year.  All that seems to be changing, however, thanks to Internet research.  This is especially true within online education where the bulk of one’s studying takes place in front of a computer anyway.  Are classrooms, libraries, and campuses becoming obsolete?

Targeted Search & Deteriorating Skills
On the one hand, maybe we’re just getting better at finding the information we need.  We’re able to research the 34th Vice President, the GDP of Brazil in 1978, and the freezing point of mercury, all without going to the library.  On the other hand, our overall research skills are beginning to deteriorate.  Thrust me into the reference section of my local library today, and I would have no idea where to find the freezing point of any element.  And how would I even begin to look up Brazil’s GDP 30 years ago?

I’m a Lazy Purist
I consider myself a purist in many respects.  I’m glad that I know how to use a slide-rule.  And I know how to load, use, and develop 35 mm film.  But I’m also incredibly lazy.  Calculators are faster.  Digital cameras are easier.  And Google is simply more convenient than anything I could ever find in the library.  As the search behemoth’s Book Scan project continues to materialize, I wonder if I’ll even keep my library card.