Book Thoughts
I've now owned my e-reader for over six months. While I only have my own experience to go on, based on my usage of it, I've come to a couple of conclusions.
I do not believe that the e-reader is the death of the public library system. Since I got mine, I've been using the library *more*, not less. My e-reader has (for me) caused a shift in the way I think about books and reading. It used to be that if I saw an interesting looking book at a bookstore, I would buy it and maybe read it later. Years of this practice resulted in ownership of around 700 books, many of which I had owned for years and never read. I was a book hoarder. But I am also a nomad. These two lifestyles do not go together well.
I came to the conclusion that I don't need to own physical copies of a lot of books anymore. This thought may also be influenced by the fact that I do currently have access to a large public library system. I therefore only need to own copies of books that are hard to find, or that are particular favourites which I tend to refer to or re-read often. As for the rest, if I see a book that looks interesting, I make a note of the title and author and add it to my list of books to check out later if and when I feel like it.
So no, I don't think e-readers are killing libraries. Libraries may have less need to carry numerous copies of the classics, since almost anything out of copyright is available for free in digital format. This frees library funding and space up for other things.
I do think e-readers may mean the death of -- or at least very drastic change in -- large, corporate book stores like Barnes & Noble or Borders. It may also result in the death of the cheap paperback, which is great news for all the trees out there. I see a future where publishing will become largely digital, but many people will still want special hard copies of favourites. And I see book stores mainly full of well-worn used books, and those are really the best book stores anyway, aren't they?
Anyone else have any thoughts about how e-books have affected your life? You're free to think I'm completely wrong, and if you do, you should rescue some of the books I've put up for sale on Amazon. ;p
On a related note, I should go to bed. I have to get up tomorrow and take some books that sold on eBay to the post office tomorrow, and then take three more boxes up to Half Price Books to see if they can offer me anything for them. Anything they don't take will be donated to the library.
I do not believe that the e-reader is the death of the public library system. Since I got mine, I've been using the library *more*, not less. My e-reader has (for me) caused a shift in the way I think about books and reading. It used to be that if I saw an interesting looking book at a bookstore, I would buy it and maybe read it later. Years of this practice resulted in ownership of around 700 books, many of which I had owned for years and never read. I was a book hoarder. But I am also a nomad. These two lifestyles do not go together well.
I came to the conclusion that I don't need to own physical copies of a lot of books anymore. This thought may also be influenced by the fact that I do currently have access to a large public library system. I therefore only need to own copies of books that are hard to find, or that are particular favourites which I tend to refer to or re-read often. As for the rest, if I see a book that looks interesting, I make a note of the title and author and add it to my list of books to check out later if and when I feel like it.
So no, I don't think e-readers are killing libraries. Libraries may have less need to carry numerous copies of the classics, since almost anything out of copyright is available for free in digital format. This frees library funding and space up for other things.
I do think e-readers may mean the death of -- or at least very drastic change in -- large, corporate book stores like Barnes & Noble or Borders. It may also result in the death of the cheap paperback, which is great news for all the trees out there. I see a future where publishing will become largely digital, but many people will still want special hard copies of favourites. And I see book stores mainly full of well-worn used books, and those are really the best book stores anyway, aren't they?
Anyone else have any thoughts about how e-books have affected your life? You're free to think I'm completely wrong, and if you do, you should rescue some of the books I've put up for sale on Amazon. ;p
On a related note, I should go to bed. I have to get up tomorrow and take some books that sold on eBay to the post office tomorrow, and then take three more boxes up to Half Price Books to see if they can offer me anything for them. Anything they don't take will be donated to the library.