Because we don’t need them anymore, welcome to the digital age

Do ANY of the ,"survivors" look like the type to tear apart furniture??

To keep warm. I agree that it was not a great idea to burn books, though

It is of course, a movie. I am sure there was plenty to burn besides books. Odd thing about this movie, to me the real hero is they guy who was protecting the Gutenberg Bible, not because of the religious context but because of the idea that books did more to expand intelligent thought and knowledge than most inventions in history. He was trying to protect one of the first printed books.

There's nothing logical about this film. Just enjoy it. Books, however, will catch fire and burn more quickly than the wood will.

I thought that was idiotic (amongst a lot of idiocy). They smash up chairs to make snow shoes but never think of putting them on the fire. The fire probably would have gone out anyway, with that massive downdraft coming down the chimney (not that it would have done much in a -100C room if it stayed alight).

It could also be because the wood is likely to be varnished, so when they burn it, it'll give if toxic fumes and they can't open windows to let it out or rely on the flue for the chimney as it is most probably slightly blocked as it hasn't been used for at least a 100 years.

Hudson: Hey Vasquez you ever been mistaken for a man?
Vasquez: No. Have you?

Another stupid part of the film. They worry about burning books like there are no more copies in the world and on top of that not knowing if they are going to live they worry about what books to burn.

gee, maybe symbolism? you know, the end of civilization, etc.