Jacquelyn C. Olson

eReading Communication Elective

June 24, 2009

eReading

As I visited the ebooks websites recommended in this elective, I was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed reading books and magazines on the internet.

Literature Page – I especially enjoyed this site because choosing a book was incredibly easy and I could pick from a large selection of classic titles. I read chapter one of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Men. I found the page design very eye-pleasing with uncrowded text and large print. Returning to the beginning of the book or switching chapters could easily be managed by choosing one of the buttons at the bottom of the screen. In addition, books can be searched by author, title or category, added to your personal bookshelf and bookmarked to return to later. One interesting service that this site offers is its “Quotation Page” which searches for relevant quotations by author, subject and category. Since, I enjoy including quotes in my research and planning, this feature would be useful to me.

Date site visited: June 24, 2009

http://www.literaturepage.com/

Web-Books – On this site I chose to look at Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. As I looked through the book, I found that the print was large and easy to read, and I liked how chapters could be accessed by using the pull down menu above the image of the book’s cover. Users can easily choose which chapters to read and select specific chapters if reading the entire book was undesired. This site also includes a “Youth” category useful for searching books with grade-level readability in mind. Web-Books separates its materials into many categories in both fiction and non-fiction genres, including philosophy, poetry and religion.

Date site visited: June 24, 2009

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

In addition to the above websites, I visited Newspapers.com, a hub of newspaper sources. I am always constantly surprised at the number and kinds of resources that are available on the web. This site certainly fulfills any inclination a reader has to read current newspaper print that is free and quickly accessible. For instance, to read the news from the Caribbean country of the Bahamas, simply select the menu displaying each country and chose “Caribbean”, and then select Bahamas from the pull-down menu. Two newspapers are accessible. Simply choose the one desired. I found this website informative, and I could use this web-site for social studies computer activities.

Date site accessed: June 24, 2009

http://www.newspapers.com/

To experience what reading a magazine online was like, I visited the Southern Living website to access the June issue. I liked being able to read the features without collecting the abundance of magazine paper that is the meat of print versions. One nice aspect of reading magazines online is that at your fingertips you can chose to search for any topic available within the scope of the magazines focus. For instance, if a reader only wanted the recipes in the current issue, they could only obtain this information without sifting through the additional features that Southern Living. I enjoyed browsing this site, and found it useful because I did not have to leave my home to do my pleasure reading, I didn’t pay for the print version, and I could print only the articles I wanted to save.

Date site visited: June 24, 2009

http://www.southernliving.com/magazine/current-issue/

My opinion on reading online media is that I like the ease of locating exactly what I want without the cost associated with purchasing print versions. Personally, I would use these resources if I wanted specific information quickly, and if my main motivation for obtaining this information is to quickly read through it without the added paper clutter and expense of a subscription.

I believe certain forms of online reading could be very helpful in the classroom. In an elementary setting, I would caution against requiring students to read online as homework since this makes the assumption that every child has access to a computer and is computer literate. Therefore, I would create lessons using this material within the confines of the school’s computer lab where I know each child will have an equal opportunity to view the selected material.

As I read the articles and looked at the product reviews on e-reader technology, I was mildly impressed. I think the cost of these devices is their biggest drawback. Many of these products hover around $300.00 which makes them a luxury expense rather than a necessity, especially with the current economy. E-readers do offer a wide range of wonderful features such as direct downloading capability, and wireless internet. I can certainly see the benefits they provide to frequent travelers, and avid readers as they are lightweight and compact. However, for an individual who does not have the continuous desire to read or the amount of time necessary to read, I think print versions are more economical. Personally, when I read novels for pleasure, I like the feel of a book in my hands and I like to flip back to previously read parts and re-read without dealing with buttons. In addition, I’m not sold on the product for use at the beach or pool which is where I find I do most of my reading during the summer months. The thought of replacing such a device because of water damage makes me cringe.

If a library patron came up to me and asked for an opinion on these products, I would ask them to think about the amount of time they spend reading, and if cost was an issue. I would tell them to weigh all the benefits of the device against the cost, and decide whether it would be worthwhile to purchase one. Certainly, these devices provide yet another avenue to view printed material in a contemporary fashion. However, consumers need to think about the product’s utility. After purchasing, will the technology actually be used or will it sit in a drawer somewhere collecting dust.