Even hardcopy books these days are intended to be obsolete. Unless books are printed on ragstock paper (not woodpulp, regardless of archival quality of the paper and proper acid/humidity/UV regulation), it's difficult to keep them in readable condition for any real length of time (i.e., >80 years). But then, if you're keeping them at that level of regulation, it's not really in a readable condition.
I have a small handful (literally - four) of books that were printed in the late 19th century, then another handful from the early 20th. I love them as beautiful, treasured artifacts, but a recent visit with my university's special collections archivist helped put the transitory nature of the printed form into perspective.
Not to rain on your parade - more intended as a commiseration. Ebooks make me sad, too. (Yeah. I leaned in and sniffed the 500-year-old book. I successfully managed to not drool on it, too.)
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I have a small handful (literally - four) of books that were printed in the late 19th century, then another handful from the early 20th. I love them as beautiful, treasured artifacts, but a recent visit with my university's special collections archivist helped put the transitory nature of the printed form into perspective.
Not to rain on your parade - more intended as a commiseration. Ebooks make me sad, too. (Yeah. I leaned in and sniffed the 500-year-old book. I successfully managed to not drool on it, too.)