I have been debating the ebook thing for a long time. My number one goal with ebooks is accessibility. In other words, two unlimited simultaneous access ebooks on the Irish potato famine can serve the six students doing projects much more than the two print books I have.
Some school librarians are doing ebooks and ereaders. I haven't been convinced to delve into that yet. It appears to be a hassle with setting up accounts since they aren't designed for library use, only personal use. I have taken the approach with fiction that I will train patrons how to download from the public library on their own device and will stick to purchasing research materials in ebook format. I am also in an area where many students have their own technology, so this works well. With a limited budget, and only so much time to work on projects, my priority is on updating my print fiction and going digital as much as possible with reference materials.
What is your perspective on ebooks and ereaders?
I myself have an eReader (my mother's old Kindle 3, which she gave me when she got a Touch) and I think they are brilliant! eBooks are a great way for people to enjoy reading without having to lug around a heavy bound volume.
ReplyDeleteI can see though how it could be a problem for libraries, though, because it may mean less people coming in. But at the same time many people now have eReaders, or they know someone who does. It certainly makes it a lot easier to have all of your books and/or plans (especially because most eReaders let you have PDF files now) in one place that is small enough to put in a bag and take with you. I use mine mostly for fun, but I do have many books I'm reading for school on it, which is very handy.
~Anna Grace
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