Fahrenheit 451

Two articles recently have caused me to panic...yes, panic.  News of the New York Public Library eliminating their prized reading space (a place of quiet, peace, reflection and learning) to install a computer space (perhaps not so quiet, not so peaceful, etc) and another article written by a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer about the rapidly advancing pace of book store closures.  Do we really think that disposing of books is a good thing?  Are we on the way to Fahrenheit 451?