I think its very common nowadays for people at sessions to have ringbinders full of songs. Being old school, I'm not keen on the idea but theres nowt much I can do about it - and why should I want to. It doesn't seem to bother the other people - bit of a non subject. The way a singer goes about his songs is his business.

No what I was trying to say in my post was that the areas where we encounter folk music seem different than in the 1960's.

Differences I have noticed.

1) Good instruments are available to virtually everybody
2) Recording is not just confined to professional singers
3) The internet has provided a wealth of source material - in the 1960's you had to buy an expensive album, or chase around after a singer and ask him to share his song/technique with you
4) Folk music has a more respectable image because
    a) the impact of university courses - people see folksinging and ethnic studies as legitimate artforms in the same way that ballet, drama, and classical music studies offered a career in teaching, performing, etc.
    b) its image is now glum BBC4 programs, rather than light entertainment - as The Spinners, Corries, Jake Thackeray sort of thing. Its public image has more gravitas.
6) The pub is no longer the primary venue. The drink driving laws severe application, plus more awareness of disability access issues has made the top room of pubs not the popular choice of venue.
Pro musicians look to festivals, artsreach type set ups, concerts in church halls.
7) Kids are not attracted by the scruffy bohemian scene of travelling round in crappy old cars, sleeping on floors etc.. The present generation is more fastidious

THeres probably nore you can think of. But theres no sense in looking back. I think we have to look for positives rather the snows of yesteryear.