The card catalog may exist, but once a digital system goes in, updates are non-existent. It's too much work keeping the digital one up-to-date, let alone fooling with the cards and the typewriter. And even if a book was removed (discarded--ha!), the card won't have been. So if you're looking for something that is a modern classic of a certain age that will always be in print and on the shelf, then the card catalog will work for you!

Don't get me wrong, I adored the old card catalogs. But since no one is maintaining them, there isn't much point in trying to use them. You might as well try to use a 15-year-old phone bood, or order from a 20-year-old Sears catalog. See how far that gets you! Time marches on, and it's time to learn how to search online. They've tried to build in some of that functionality (browsing the cards). And when all else fails, go cruise the shelves and see what's there.

SRS