Comeback for pen and paper as AI resistance grows in the U.S.

In Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania, a small-scale agricultural community known for its grain silos and the rhythmic clatter of Amish horse-drawn carriages, a family-owned paper company established in 1887 is witnessing an unexpected revival. The company manufactures a thin writing booklet, known as the "Blue book" for its pale blue cover, whose traditional qualities are now in demand at some of America's most advanced universities.

This 4 to 24-page disposable product, used for written quizzes and examinations since the last century, had seen declining sales during the COVID-19 pandemic's remote learning era. However, it is now experiencing a renaissance, evident on the factory floor where Rob Yingling, an employee of 34 years, exclaims about the demand for the booklet. Lance Allen, representing the sixth generation of the owning family, confirms this boom from his windowless executive office, stating, "We have sold more of the blue book this year than in a decade. It is actually unbelievable."

“

My goodness.

While the exact number of copies sold remains a company secret, it amounts to millions of notebooks annually. The company attributes part of this increase to growing demand from teachers who are banning computers from their classrooms and returning to pen and paper. At the University of California, Berkeley, sales of the booklet reportedly increased by 80 percent over the past two years, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“

We have sold more of the blue book this year than on a decade. It is actually unbelievable.

The underlying reason for this trend is subtly hinted at by the company's original name, still visible on the facade of its 1900 headquarters in downtown Pennsylvania: Roaring Spring Blank Book Company. Unlike a connected computer, the lined pages of the booklet are blank, free from pre-existing information. Professor Quinn Slobodian, a 48-year-old historian at Boston University, shared his perspective, noting, "I have always used them, but now there are no longer any alternatives. During the spring semester, I realized that take-home assignments are futile. It's not the students' fault. They know they will be ordered to use AI the moment they enter the workforce and are doing everything in their power to stay ahead of the development."

This reality presents new challenges for professors like Slobodian. With tuition at prestigious American universities costing around $1 million annually, institutions must offer something unique if humanities students are to learn effectively and universities are to compete with artificial intelligence. The resurgence of the writing booklet suggests a growing movement towards screen-free classrooms in the U.S., with an increase in analog examinations and requirements for handwritten notes during lectures.

“

I have always used them, but now there are no longer any alternatives. During the spring semester, I realized that take-home assignments are futile. It's not the students' fault. They know they will be ordered to use AI the moment they enter the workforce and are doing everything in their power to stay ahead of the development.