I can't believe I'm going to write this . . .

I think I'm over Non-Fiction books.  I honestly can't see a use for them in 5 years. Now I know that this is probably a pretty unpopular opinion out there in the world.  But just hear me out.  Yes, I'll give you that there is just something about the feel of a book in your hands.  I cannot argue that, and that is why I'm only saying this about Non-Fiction.  The primary purpose of the Reference/Biography/Non-Fiction section is research.  Yes, there are students who check out these books to learn for pleasure, but they are few and far between.  I can think of three students in my school of 300+ who consistently check out Non-Fiction books.  All other patrons are in those sections for purpose only; the purpose of fulfilling a teachers' need.  Now, my problem with this is these students need up to date research that can attract them and be user friendly.  The books on my shelves are neither.  Think about how long it takes a book like that to reach my shelves from the author handing it off to a publisher.  About a year.  That means the information is out-of-date when it gets to me.  No matter how "new" or whatever you call it; I can search it online and find more up-to-date information than that book has.  Plus I can find videos and more images than that book can ever contain.  Plus, have you seen what a kindle, your iPhone, or any computer can do with an e-book?  It has out of this world research possibilities.  You can be looking at a book that has links built into it, while connecting to the link in a browser, while using the built in dictionary to find unfamiliar terms, while using the search function to locate only the sections you need.  It definitely makes me sad I got my undergrad when I did.  I would have been unstoppable and efficient back in the day.  But all of this brings me back to my original point; I don't see how we can justify continuing to pay the same price for a book that will get worn down or unused.  There will be a tipping point sometime soon, and while I still don't think that will change anything about the fiction collection, the Non-Fiction section may have met its match this time around.