A book in the hand is worth...

I used to think the weight of a book in hand lent something to the entire reading experience. Cracking open a brand new book, fresh pages that hold some kind of allure, the mix of ink a heady aroma that drives the bibliophile to flip page after page consuming the entire volume at one sitting. Ebooks seemed a thing of future generations with no value added over their paper counterparts.

That is until I got a Kindle. I had been researching different digital reading devices and had actually decided on a different model, the Barnes and Noble Nook, before receiving the Kindle as a gift. A gift in hand is better than arranging for return shipping and over the course of the next several hours, as books were delivered through Whispernet technology, I entered the digital book age.



Ebooks are not new to librarians. For years libraries have offered a handful of digital downloads. But the latest generation of eBooks ad readers offer some advantages not found on previous releases. The ability to change the font size and new screen technology allows for increased viewing even in low light situations. With some devices, like the Kindle, you have the option of having the book read to you using text to voice software.


Ebooks are being used in the classroom. Previously the inability to take notes kept textbooks from being fully utilized by students but not any more. More and more research is being accessed through eBooks with citations reflecting the access of the latest digital resources. Page numbers are not available so section or url addresses are used in citations.

 While a specific device is not required to view an eBook, you can download applications to your desktop computer, laptop and even to your phone, the variety of digital tools and functions make digital readers like the Kindle and the Nook an item most students will be taking to college with them. My Kindle cost about the same as the graphing calculator I had to purchase for my kid’s algebra class.

 I had taken home Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz, but after downloading the sample onto the Kindle I found it impossible to get the 400 plus pages out of my library bag.

For those considering the purchase of an eReader check out http://ebookreadermatrix.com/ for a nice side by side comparison of devices. This month’s issue of Consumer Reports magazine features their review of eReaders that might help hesitant consumers with the decision making process.

On my Kindle now is Robert B. Parker’s Painted Ladies, the last of the Spenser novels, and The Language of Bees by Laurie R. King. Deceit: A Novel by Brandilyn Collins is more of a thriller than I would usually pull off the shelf and Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught would be the book I would not want anyone to know was on my Kindle should I suddenly depart.

 

Oh, and I better renew the library’s copy of Curse of the Spellmans that’s still at the bottom of my book bag. It’s overdue.