Some things that were vital to society a few years ago have now become obsolete. Technology has replaced many of the older ways of doing things, especially at the local library.
The good ol’ card catalog from your local public library is going extinct. You may remember checking out a book as a student. First, you would look through the drawers marked with the correct letters.
Once you found the book’s location, you would notify the librarian. When you checked out the book, they would stamp a card with the due date to return it.
The card catalog was used for generations but has been effectively replaced by the online public access catalog. Some people still call the online catalog the ‘card catalog.’
Some older libraries still maintain their card catalog, but it isn’t updated more than once a year. Removing the card catalog saves space for more computers. It seems technology has caused the extinction of the classic library card catalog.
You may even remember having classes in school that instructed you on how to use the card catalog. Many teachers spent countless hours teaching their students how important the card catalog was to their future success.
The days of thumbing through the dusty card catalog appear to be over. However, we can look back and marvel at a wonderfully-organized system that helped students find books for years.
