I just read the blog post from Tim Retout +about +the computer science book collection available in his local +library, and just wanted to share my comment on his theory about +computer books becoming obsolete so soon. That is part of the reason +why the selection is so sad in almost any local library (it is in mine +too), but I believe the major contributing factor is that the people +buying books to the library have no way to know a good and future +computer classic from trash. And they need to know which one will +become a classic in the future, as they would normally buy one of the +recently published books.
+ +During my university years, I worked for a while at the university +library, and even there the person in charge of buying computer +related books (and in fact any natural science related book), did not +know enough about computers to make a good educated guess. Once, just +before Christmas, they had some leftover money on the book budget and +I was asked if I could pick out a lot of computer books in the +university book store, for the library to buy for their collection. I +had a great time picking all the books I dreamt of buying and reading, +and the books I knew were classics (like most of the +Stevens +collection). I picked several of the generic O'Reilly books (ie +documenting protocols, formats and systems, not specific versions of +products) and stayed away from the 'teach yourself X in N days' class. +I had a great time, and probably picked out more than a hundred books +for the library that evening.
+ +The sad fact is that there is no way a overworked librarian is +going to know that +The +Practice of Programming is a must-have in any computer library, +and they will most of the time end up picking the wrong books to buy. +Perhaps you can help your local library make better choices by giving +the suggestions for books to get? I know they would love to hear from +you, even if their budget might block them from getting your favourite +book right away.
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