An article in The Marietta Times called Hooked on Books had some interesting info on e-books. At one local library, the number of e-books checked out “jumped from 3,258 in 2009 to 4,996 in 2010. Already this year, 1,043 e-books have been checked out.” Within the local library system there are 12,190 downloadable titles. There are “no overdue fines and the books automatically return themselves after a certain period, which is about three weeks for most titles.”
Even so, librarians and local bookstores don’t seem worried about the “demise” of print books. One bookstore owner said, “There's always going to be a certain percentage of people that want their hands on a paper page….They want to be able to lay in bed and read their book - they want to be able to feel that page and turn that page."
Does the library close to you lend e-books? If so, how many different formats do they support? Have you checked one out?
I don’t believe our local library lends e-books yet. I think it’s a great idea, though. And probably one more and more libraries will put into action.
1 year ago
I've been watching for it, but haven't seen it in the Charlotte area. We have a really terrible budget crunch here (branches are being closed down), so I think e-reading is just out of reach right now.
ReplyDeleteAs interesting as the idea sounds, I don't think it will happen in the near future in South Africa.
ReplyDeleteToo few people have access to e-readers and/or computers.
Could be wrong, though. :-)
I don't know. Sadly, I don't use the library, having a life-long addiction to owning books. It's a great idea though.
ReplyDeleteOur library does loan eBooks. From what I see on their website, they support the Nook, the Kobo eReader, the Literati Reader, NextBook Next2, Pandigital Novel, PocketBook Pro, and the Sony's.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know our library doesn't loan eBooks - they're just started loaning eAudiobooks,so they're a little behind the times. I'm not crazy about the e-reading experience, so I don't know if I'd use the service if they offered it.
ReplyDeleteOur library doesn't loan e-books yet. I'm looking forward to that day. How nice that you don't have to return them. And I agree that there will always be a place for the printed page. Even as someone in love with her e-book reader, I still love the feel and smell of a "real" book.
ReplyDeleteWow, Joanne, your library supports a lot of platforms.
ReplyDeleteI love print books. I have so many I have to cull through them occasionally and donate stacks. But I'm coveting my husband's iPad. I believe I could get used to reading e-books.
Our library does lend e-books through the Lone Star Digital Library, which serves several central Texas towns. They support all the big e-readers and a variety of other PC, Mac, and mobile devices.
ReplyDeleteI went online to see if our library lent ebooks. There was nothing about ebooks on the website, but I may just have to give them a call. I'm so glad yours does lend ebooks, Carol.
ReplyDeleteHi Helen .. not having an e-reader - I'm not sure what they're doing here - except the libraries are closing fast due to budgeting cuts ..
ReplyDeleteThings are changing very quickly - it is straight from hel!!
Cheers Hilary
Helen, I agree (partially) with the bookstore owner who said: “There's always going to be a certain percentage of people that want their hands on a paper page….They want to be able to lay in bed and read their book - they want to be able to feel that page and turn that page."
ReplyDeleteI agree that there are always going to be a certain percentage of people who want their hands on a paper page... although, as the population shifts in age, that demographic will shrink... but I disagree in part with the portion of his/her statement where he said folks will want to be able to lay in bed and read their book. The truth is, it's just as easy, if not even easier, to read a Kindle in bed, especially if you furnish it with a light. Even without a light, it's just as easy and perhaps even more so to read a Kindle in bed than an actual book. You don't have to worry about the pages flipping over and losing your place, etc.
I fought the ebook revolution for a long time--thinking nothing could replace books--but since using my Kindle, have found I not only buy even more books (from an average of 2 books a week,I'm up to almost an average of 4--but it's infinitely easier to carry around and read in all kinds of places than an actual book. Like it or not, I think it's here to stay and increasingly, more and more people will gravitate toward ebook readers. Print won't disappear, and I think a time will come when the percentages of each will "settle into place," but it will take over more and more of the market. Print will always be here in one form or another, as there are many advantages of print that electronic versions can't satisfy and won't be able to in the foreseeable future--for instance, I mark books up for learning purposes (writing techniques) and while it's possible to skip around on a Kindle, it's also a lot of trouble to do so at the present time. When they come up with a way to turn down corners to mark places to go to quickly, that will be a big plus. There are other areas ebooks don't currently work as well as print, but I imagine they'll figure out ways to make them even more convenient in the future.
I'm not sure about my local library, but next time I'm in town I'm going to pop in and see if they offer e-books.
ReplyDeleteOn the one hand, making books even more accessible is brilliant, and the convenience of e-books will give people more opportunity to read. That can only be a good thing.
On the other hand, I still love the smell of walking into a library or bookshop, and there's something special about holding a favourite book in your hands, being able to feel the warmth of the paper. I always like finding corner creases or ink smudges when I sign books out of libraries or borrow them. E-books don't have the physical history that paper books do.
I guess it depends where and when you like to read (and how much storage space you have at home, which is my main problem with physical books!). Kindles and mobile phones are great for when you're travelling, plus they're instant - you don't have to leave the house or find a shop to buy them. :)
That's a good question, Helen. No, I haven't checked out my local library for ebooks. I would imagine you'd need a dedicated reader to check stuff out, or so it would seem.
ReplyDeleteI'm going by the library today. I'm going to ask about that.
I just found out ours does. They have one format (I think). We have to download something (I think). I do plan on using it onceI find out more.;)
ReplyDeleteOur library does loan e-books, using quite a few different hosts, like Project Gutenberg, LibriVox, Wowio, etc.
ReplyDeleteI don't foresee them completely replacing paper books, only because our community has a fair share of folks who can't afford to purchase all the cool techno-gadgets we take for granted (including computers).
PW has an interesting article on the subject today - it seems that Harper Collins has announced that its e-books will only be loanable 26 times. (Why 26, I have no clue.) Libraries are calling for a boycott of the publisher, since it would make their e-loaning programs impossible for HC books.
Hilary, I don't have an eReader either, but my husband does and he buys lots of books for it.
ReplyDeleteExcellent points, Les. The problem with me is that I am a penny-pincher. I hate to spend money. My husband wanted to get me an iPad for Christmas (he loves his), but I said ho, it costs too much. It's only March and I'm beginning to regret that.
Jennifer, I'm with you on the storage of books. I keep culling out books and my shelves are still overflowing - literally.
Sia, you might could read an ebook on your computer. I'm not sure.
Yay, Holly. You'll be our tester.
Gayle, you'd thing there would be a work-around for certain situations.
I don't have an eReader so had never checked, but did just now. Here is what I found: "AADL participates in the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services to offer ebooks and eaudio to our patrons. There are presently limitations in the quantity of titles available for use with iPods and Macs, but all available MP3 audiobooks are compatible with both."
ReplyDeleteSo there is a regional cooperative library effort for eBooks, which is pretty cool--that way costs are split (probably based on who lends more?) and between them, they can make more titles available.
I just wanted to point out to commenters who "don't have ereaders" that your computer is your ereader. Some e-books are downloadable as pdfs. Some, like Kindle, convert their format (automatically, I think) to make it readable on your computer screen. Not as handy as an ereader, but not impossible.
ReplyDeleteHart, I would love an eAudio book!
ReplyDeleteGayle, I've thought about using my computer as an eReader, but I already spend hours every day editing or working on my computer. I think I'll hold out for an eReader where I can relax on the couch and read.
I'll have to check that out. I recently wrote a post about how e-books are easier for people to handle that are physically disabled. I talked about myself most. Thanks for the heads up Helen.
ReplyDeleteOur library doesn't have ebooks yet, but they're looking into it. Hopefully soon!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad more libraries are looking into carrying and lending ebooks.
ReplyDeletemy local library doesn't have it yet, but it's a great idea. I love it.
ReplyDeleteI just recently found out our library loans e-books, as well as audio books you can download. I downloaded a couple of the audio books to have to listen on my computer and it worked great. The books were available for 7 or 14 days (your choice) and then they expire and you can no longer listen to them. It was a great way to listen to a book over the weekend when I couldn't stop by the library to check one out.
ReplyDeleteMason
Thoughts in Progress
We have a library in the next town over that offers ebook lending, but only in epub format, which I can't read on my Kindle. =(
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, ebooks are getting cheaper, and with amazons free sample download, I rarely end up buying books I don't just love.
St. Louis County Library has been loaning ebooks for a while now, though I've not checked one out with them yet. My local library, the Webster Groves Public Library does not, as far as I know.
ReplyDeleteI don't think ebooks will endanger print books. I think there is room for both formats in today's marketplace. That said, I go almost exclusively with ebooks these days, and find I read more than I used to.
~jon
Another part of the ebook lending terrain is peer-to-peer ebook lending. We have gathered a community of 16,000+ Kindle owners who lend and borrow Kindle books with one another at www.BookLending.com ... we're a friendly group, and new members are always welcome! :)
ReplyDeleteCatherine, isn't there a limit on the number of times you can "lend" an ebook?
ReplyDeleteThis is interesting. I don't own a Kindle, so I don't look for ebooks yet. I'm not sure if our library lends ebooks yet. It seems as if most libraries and consumers are jumping on board. Looks like I'll need to get a Kindle in the future, but for now, I still love paper books :D
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