TRUDIE: OK, Stewart. We need to start planning our paper on public libraries.

楚蒂：好的, 斯图尔特。我们要开始计划一下咱们关于公共图书馆的论文了。

Have you thought of an angle yet?

你想过咱们要从哪个角度开始了吗？

STEWART: Well, there's so much we could look into.

斯图尔特：我们可以研究的东西有很多。

How libraries have changed over the centuries, for instance, or how different countries organise them.

比如这几世纪以来图书馆是如何变化的，或者不同的国家是如何组织它的。

What do you think, Trudie?

你觉得呢？楚蒂?

TRUDIE: Maybe we should concentrate on this country, and try and relate the changes in libraries to external developments, like the fact that far more people can read than a century ago, and that the local population may speak lots of different languages.

楚蒂：或许咱们应该专注于本国的事情，并且将图书馆的变化和外部的发展联系起来，比如如今阅读的人数比上世纪要多很多，以及许多的当地人已经可以讲很多不同的语言。

STEWART: We could include something about changes in the source of funding, too.

斯图尔特：我们还可以总结一些关于其资金来源的事情。

TRUDIE: Yes, but remember we're only supposed to write a short paper, so it's probably best if we don't go into funding in any detail.

楚蒂： 是的，但是你要记着咱们要写的是一篇短论文，所以我们最好不要深入研究关于筹集资金方面的任何细节。

STEWART: Right. Well, shall we just brainstorm a few ideas, to get started?

斯图尔特：好的。咱们来头脑风暴一下吧，想几个可以着手开始研究的观点怎么样？

TRUDIE: OK. We obviously need to look at the impact of new technology, particularly the internet.

楚蒂：好的。很明显咱们需要研究一下新型科技所带来的影响，尤其是互联网。

Now that lots of books have been digitalised, people can access them from their own computers at home.

现在很多书籍都被电子化了，人们可以在家里使用电脑阅读这些书记。

STEWART: And if everyone did that, libraries would be obsolete.

斯图尔特：然而如果每个人都这样做，图书馆就会不复存在了。

TRUDIE: Yes.

楚蒂：是的。

STEWART: But the digitalised books that are available online for free are mostly out of copyright, aren't they?

斯图尔特：但是网上那些免费的电子书籍大部分是没有版权的，不是吗？

And copyright in this country lasts for 70 years after the author dies.

在我们国家版权在作者去世后能持续七十年。

So you won't find the latest best-seller or up-to-date information.

所以我们无法找到某些畅销书籍的最新版本，或者跟新信息后的版本了。

TRUDIE: That's an important point.

楚蒂：这是个很重要的点。

Anyway, I find it hard to concentrate when I'm reading a long text on a screen.

但是我发现我在屏幕上阅读长文章时我是无法集中注意力的。

I'd much rather read a physical book.

我跟喜欢阅读实体书。

And it takes longer to read on a screen.

并且，阅读电子书花费的时间更长。

STEWART: Oh, I prefer it.

斯图尔特：噢，我倒是更喜欢电子书。

I suppose it's just a personal preference.

我想这就是个人偏好的问题了吧。

TRUDIE: Mm. I expect that libraries will go on evolving in the next few years.

楚蒂：嗯。我倒是希望图书馆在后几年的时间里可以再继续发展一下。

Some have already become centres where community activities take place, like local clubs meeting there.

部分图书馆已经成为了社区活动中心了，比如当地的俱乐部集会。

I think that'll become even more common.

我觉得这应该会变得更普遍吧。

STEWART: I'd like to think so, and that they'll still be serving their traditional function, but I'm not so sure.

斯图尔特：我也是这么认为的。它们将会继续以它们传统的功能服务于大众，但是我并不是很确定这个想法。

There are financial implications, after all.

毕竟涉及到资金问题。

What I'm afraid will happen is that books and magazines will all disappear, and there'll just be rows and rows of computers.

我担心的事情是有一天，书籍和杂志都会消失，剩下的只有一排又一排的电脑。

They won't look anything like the libraries we're used to.

它们不再会是我们熟悉的样子。

TRUDIE: Well, we'll see.

楚蒂：哎，再看吧。