Julia Burke

SLM-521

Assignment: eReading—Elective #1

June 13, 2009

As an avid reader, I have explored online sources of reading material prior to this assignment. Increased access to any reading material is an incredible draw for me regardless of technological specifications. Having said that, I must also point out that the process of reading has never been only about the transmission of information, and even with the best technology I believe that the reader actually gives up a certain amount of control of the process (i.e. power source issues, page turning, etc.) One instance that sticks out in my mind is when an issue of the New Yorker didn’t arrive and I actually sat in front of the computer reading said issue. I received the same information and experienced the same quality of writing but also felt that the experience wasn’t as pleasurable or entertaining—it was a bit like work. Conversely, I have been known to read by candlelight during power outages, enjoying the experience immensely. It’s probably important to differentiate between reading for pleasure versus reading for work. Upon reading the two articles concerning the whole issue of online magazines versus print, “Web and Print or Web Vs. Print? Or Both,” by Tom Williams (http://www.rtcmagazine.com/home/article.php?id=100770) and “Magazines vs. the Web: End of an Era,” by Josh Norem (http://consumer.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTI3OCwxLCxoY29uc3VtZXI) , I found Williams’s article to be more in line with my thinking—each forum should add to the value of both. Norem did present some valid points in terms of the relative expense and time and space constraints of traditional print magazines. Here again, I feel that it’s important to point out the difference between researching hardware and reading for entertainment.

In terms of comparing the relative merits of both forms for use with students, I believe that access to such sites as www.literaturepage.com , www.web-books.com , and www.newspapers.com could be of immense value in the classroom. The wealth of material on these sites (Shakespeare, Dickens, Gibbon, etc) can provide educators with greatly expanded resources for a fraction of the cost (once the technology is in place.) The newspaper site alone would be a spectacular resource for both language and social studies departments. Real time access to worldwide information sources would also seem to reinforce the relevance of learning for students.

E-book reading technology has been a fascinating idea for me from the beginning—the ad for Amazon’s Kindle at the end of a New Yorker book review does give one pause for thought (“In the time it takes to read this review, you can wirelessly download an entire book.”—p.113, New Yorker, June 8&15, 2009). After exploring the sites comparing the various ebook readers (see Sites Consulted below) and reading Walt Mossberg’s reviews of the Kindle (http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20071129/amazons-kindle-makes-buying-e-books-easy-reading-them-hard) and Kindle 2 (http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20090225/amazons-kindle-2-improves-the-good-leaves-out-the-bad/?mod=ATD_sphere) although finding this technology intriguing I’m not completely sold on the idea. I do not own any of these items but I can see why the idea of being able to have incredible amounts of reading material without the physical demands combined with immediate gratification would be appealing. If in my future as a librarian I was asked for my professional opinion it would probably be close to my personal opinion as a lifelong reader: the cost of these items are prohibitive and the library is free, and, with such services as InterLibrary Loan and the Internet one still has incredible access to information. Another issue is that of proprietary interest. One comment made by a Kindle owner following Walt Mossberg’s 11/29/07 article concerned the fact that after said owner made a complaint about the visual quality of one of his downloads Amazon deleted the download and refunded his money without any direction from him. As with any technology it is important to think about what the user wants and expects from their own reading experience and to recognize that this technology is still, ultimately, a tool to be used and not an end in itself.

Works Cited

Mossberg, Walter S. (February 26, 2009). “Amazon’s Kindle 2 Improves the Good,

Leaves Out the Bad.” All Things Digital. Retrieved on June 12, 2009 from (http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20090225/amazons-kindle-2-improves-the-good-leaves-out-the-bad/?mod=ATD_sphere

_____. (November, 29, 2007). “Amazon’s Kindle Makes Buying E-Books Easy, Reading

Them Hard.” All Things Digital. Retrieved on June 12, 2009 from (http://ptech.allthingsd.com/20071129/amazons-kindle-makes-buying-e-books-easy-reading-them-hard

Norem, Josh. (February 5, 2007). “Magazines Vs. The Web: End of an Era.”

[H] Consumer. Retrieved on June 12, 2009 from (http://consumer.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTI3OCwxLCxoY29uc3VtZXI

Williams, Tom. (December, 2006). “Web and Print or Web vs. Print? Or Both.”

RTC Magazine. Retrieved on June 12, 2009 from (http://www.rtcmagazine.com/home/article.php?id=100770

Sites Consulted

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2007/11/e-book-readers.html

http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix

http://www.literaturepage.com/

http://www.web-books.com/

http://www.newspapers.com/