This is actually a true story, odd, so bear with me.
I was reading the CDC website about their
Vegetable of the Month...yes, odd, but an entirely different story. March is the month of the Leek, nothing quite as nice as a bowl of potato and leek soup...particularly during St. Patrick's Day celebrations. The leek is an excellent source of vitamin A which is key to not only healthy skin but to a healthy retina important for low light vision.
Low light vision brings me to several conversations I have had about purchasing/implementing Kindles in the library and in the classroom. First, I always recommend the cheap Kindles, hence the "low-light" vision thought. Second,
DON'T purchase them at this point unless you are doing a trial run. The issue is Amazon, not ebooks.
[
As a side note, if you are looking at Kindle Fires for professional uses, buy an iPad instead. Kindles Fires are awesome--my wife has one--for book/video/email/websurfing--media consumption. But I think they are not creative or dynamic enough for professional use.]
Which brings me to the real crux of the conversation... Ebooks or "real" books?
One year ago, I would swear by the experience of reading a "real" (as in print) book. I was born as a librarian. I love libraries, books, information, collecting, even the "grandma's basement" smell of old, well-loved books. "You will never convince me to read an ebook" I have said on many occasions to many friends.
This August I purchased an iPad to better facilitate my new mobile professional activities...and to play. I lasted 3 months before I broke down to read my first ebook on IBooks (it's a must-have). Now, sadly, I won't read anything BUT an ebook, unless I can't find the book I want for free or a reasonable price. Then I wait.
As a librarian, this mentality will put me out of business!
Ebooks are now my preferred method of reading. The ability to have my entire reading library in one place is dynamic and thrilling. I can purchase new books, download the classics for free, add any textbooks or PDF documents I want for later, and create my own books. I also read faster, up to 3 books a week from 1.5 with print.
As a reader, does it really matter whether the book is print, digital or audio? A great book is still a great book. You just need to find a niche and read.
