KINDLE-FRIEND OR FOE OF THE BOOK?

I'm revisiting our last "zine" entitled, "Is the book dead?" A very generous library patron gave me an Amazon Kindle for Christmas. He said to load it up with books, magazines, newspapers, and to see what it was like to read materials in this format, and also to think of library applications for the future. I took it with me to my family's celebration in New York, where we had a wonderful time figuring out how it worked, as well as purchasing items to read at our leisure.

Most of you have seen this device advertised on Amazon's website for about $300. It obviously is not inexpensive. However, it allows you to order entire books, magazines, and newspapers for very little-about $9, versus the hardcover price which averages close to $25 for books. These are listed by subject category. Once purchased, each title is down-loaded onto your personal list site, available at any time by a mere finger stroke.( The kindle bookstore does not include all titles available through Amazon.) It does, however, include a lot of classic titles, particularly children's which are available FREE.

So far I have ordered:
Rutherfurd, E. NEW YORK, THE NOVEL
Alcott, L LITTLE WOMEN
Larsson, S THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Rollins, J THE ALTAR OF EDEN
U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT-SCHOOL ISSUE

I have had the fun of reading them in docotor's offices, waiting for meetings to begin, at my desk at the library, and even in bed. The type is very easy to read and the screen's color is comfortable to view. My eyes weren't affected adversely at all. People who travel a lot, like my sister, say they're invaluable in airports when you have delays and can find nothing you like at the newsstand. Even aloft, if you finish one title, you can order up another instantaneously!

There are no pages to turn, merely buttons to push, which really is not as satisfying somehow. The whole thing is very light, however, so it really could be a help to people with wrist and hand problems, particularly the elderly, who might want to read a longer book, like the Rutherfurd, but are daunted by the sheer poundage. I found myself just mesmerized by the text, however. The format did not take away anything from the words themselves.

Certainly, as an adjunct to the codex form as we know it, this is wonderful. There are times and places that it will be an invaluable asset . (You can even get it on your much smaller Ifone).

In-house library use may be problematic. It would have to be checked out, after surrendering a driver's license perhaps, for a few hours at most. (It can't be left unattended on a table for obvious reasons.) New titles would have to be okayed, ordered and paid for by the librarian on her established account. Over-night borrowing is possible, but again something would have to be demanded, perhaps a high refundable fee, to insure its return in a timely fashion.

Meanwhile, we are incorporating its use into our Long Range Plan 2010-2015, since we realize that there will be an explosion of technology and its uses in the library in the next five years. This device, along with new ones coming from such competitors as Apple, will find their places in libraries for sure, but will never replace hardcopy in the shape of books and periodicals entirely. They will, however, greatly change the use of space in ways as yet unimaginable.