We have two basic ways to make our ideas and inner states known: speaking and writing. I am interested in the relative value of these two. Speaking clearly predates writing and speaking can be quite quick. Writing is slower to make but can last longer. The upper grades and levels of typical schooling are famous for involving writing and for reading while the beginning levels are for children who haven't learned to write or read.
Lynn is a former graduate school professor and she worked on her PhD at a time when librarians were facing new media, such as slide - tape combinations and compact discs. In some cases, computer programs and "hypermedia" (writing where some of words serve their usual function but are also links to other pages or "web sites") - these new sources of information were not the usual physical shapes and materials and challenged libraries as to convenient storage and collection access and maintenance.
As an elderly man with poor hearing, I pester my wife by asking "What did you say?" after many of her attempts to tell me something. We haven't gotten to the point where we just communicate in one form of writing or another but we may get there. Despite being responsible for classes of 5th graders handwriting instruction, I don't always practice good handwriting and she may be thinking of difficulties reading notes from me.
When we were kids, we didn't have "phones" in our pockets, ready to email or text or record sounds such as speech. She may avoid note exchange with me because of my typical handwriting, not to mention my typing.
