(library stickers censored out to avoid doxxing myself)
edit: woag this blowed up. uh. if you're reading this, become a communist
I know because I borrowed it and learned me some Macintosh toolbox development, this is not a complaint
I was telling @ciswoman the other day about some history of web programming circa 2006-2010 and I realized that so much of that just sort of vanishes from collective memory with the pace of new technology. These physical books are a really valuable historical resource for understanding how technology has evolved (not to mention the practical benefits of working on older systems).
You might think that libraries still have so many outdates computer books because we just can't afford new ones or don't know that they're outdated now, but that's not true. Even with our miniscule budget we definitely could prioritize having all the latest editions the same way we do with test books and encyclopedias.
But the people using the latest technology every year are not the people borrowing physical books about how to use it from the public library. The latest technology is expensive. If you can afford the latest iPhone, you can afford a book on how to use it, or just have the technical know-how to Google your questions.
The people borrowing computer books from the library usually have the older models. These models are more affordable, but also people with less computer literacy just don't tend to upgrade their technology as often because they don't use it often enough for it to matter to them. They're still using their old version of Microsoft Word 2010 on their Windows 7 machine. They're still using their Android KitKat phone. It's actually harder to find good online guides for older models and versions, unless you have the computer literacy to search really good. So we actually prioritize keeping older books when it comes to the computer guides, which is the opposite of how we do any other collection in a library.
We'll buy a Microsoft PowerPoint 365 book, yes, when money allows... But that's not priority to us until patrons start coming in asking for help using it. That will probably take five years. So we have time to put that money to the latest SAT book instead.
