There is a newer shift in our society where scholarly texts which used to be available only in print are now digitized, which seems to bother some academics. They have long valued text in print over digital formats, and indeed, there is some satisfaction in knowing that a text has gone through vigorous editing and publication processes to end up on a shelf in a library or bookstore. I however, welcome digital text in ways that surprise me, as it allows wider access to this scholarly information. With libraries now subscribing to online databases and journals, this information is becoming increasingly easier to find.
Bolter discusses in his introduction how “all kinds of communication are being digitized,” including his book! From academic texts to everyday communication, our world is very much digital. He also discusses how digital media challenges alphabetic writing in digital texts and the possibilities for including graphics, video, and interactive media in 21st-century literature. The whole time, I kept thinking of Patrick Carman’s young adult series (and how I still haven’t read the third Skeleton Creek book. It waits for me on top of my dresser). These possibilities of digital media are certainly being recognized online, but also in printed text as well with the use of companion websites, not only for young adult literature, but with scholarly texts as well.
Oh how I love having access to all of the articles online. I may want to see my stuff in print, but it sure does make it easy to do research with everything tagged and out there on the web. I remember the days of pulling books from the shelf to photocopy. Now you can email the articles to your self. this is one aspect of the digitization of the universe that I will never lament, that's for sure!
ReplyDeleteI remember being in college in 2002 and having to research at another library because our library did not have what I needed for my English assignments. We had a new library, but not much was in it. I think about it now and the amount of material online that I can access in minutes. I wonder how much better my writing would have been in college if I had what we have now, and that was not a long time ago. I like hiw you extend the idea od research to using digital media not only as a primary research tool, but also a suppliment to printed text when you note that, "these possibilities of digital media are certainly being recognized online, but also in printed text as well with the use of companion websites, not only for young adult literature, but with scholarly texts as well." I know as a teacher this has saved me countless times and having this option for students enhances their learning experience in a variety of ways.
ReplyDeleteWhile I myself do appreciate knowing that "a text has gone through vigorous editing" and give it maybe more validation because of that, I also appreciate the doors that are opened due to digitalization. While not all digitalized writing is overly impressive (the average blog for instance), the preservation and accessability of antiquated or rare texts is more exciting and impressive than I have words for. To me, this becomes a matter of taking the good with the bad. I want access to Victorian manuscripts and I want to know that the paper they are on won't desintigrate, so I'm willing to tollerate the average Joe going on a rant about having to wait in line too long at the grocery store. Not all digital writing is good, but let's face it, neither is all published writing, and the possibility with digitalization are mind-blowing!
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