Is the internet keeping us from reading???

So you're in class and the teacher says read the book Tom Jones and write a 5pg essay on it! Before you groan and think about all the stuff you'd rather do than read some book and write about it, you suddenly remember the wonderful tool called the "internet". With the internet, you have unlimited access to tons of information at the click of a button. Instead of reading... why not get the main gist of the plot from spark notes and type in any questions you have concerning the book. Although this sounds like a WONDERFUL idea, is it really holding us back. Is the internet dumbing down our culture and allowing us to be lazy? Who knows....