This presentation provides a quick history and overview of e-books and e-readers, and a demonstration of how you can access the e-books provided by the Mott Library.
Book forms have changed dramatically over the last 1,000 yearsTechnological improvementsPapyrus, scrolls, Gutenberg printing press, hard cover, soft cover, talking books on audiocassette, audio CD, mp3The change from print book to e-book seems to be as disruptive as the change from hand written books to moveable type. Why do you think that is?
Is a book defined primarily by its container or its content? Or both?What matters more, form or content?Do you prefer a specific type of container? Hardcover, paperback, audio cassette, audio CD, mp3, ebook (photos)A book is long form writingUsing a font size of 12 points, at 25 lines per page, and about 10 words per lineTypical book is 80,000-100,000 words in lengthThat’s 320-400 pages in a typical sized book160 pages = 40,000 words500 pages = 125,000 wordJournal articles began being digitized 15-20 years ago. They are short, easy to read on the computer screen, inexpensive to printStarted with current issues forward, later digitized back files.Read on equipment already had access to - computer screen through web browser or Adobe Reader
Is an e-book a real book?You can read e-books on your computer, a dedicated e-reader, a tablet PC, a smart phoneWhy do you suppose digitizing books led to dedicated e-reader devices? Is it a length issue?Leisure reading vs. work reading?
1998Rocketbook 4 MB or 4,000 pages would hold about 10 booksWeighed a little more than a poundCost $600Did not offer wireless downloads
Amazon’s Kindle Fire is a tablet version of the Kindle, $199Kindle Touch, $99 or $149, E Ink with touch screenSo with all of these options, how do you choose what is best for you?
We have lots of choices today!It is easy to be swayed by techno-lust!Do you want or needs lots of separate devices or one device that does it all?http://www.bethebestyouidareyou.com/wp-content/uploads/17_5_orig.jpg
What do sales figures tell us about e-reader popularity?More men own tabletsMore women own e-readersI expect tablet ownership to eventually exceed e-reader ownership. It’s all about functionality and price point
42% of cell phone owners own a smart phone25% of smart phone owners go online primarily using their cell phoneAs of spring 2011:35% of smart phones use Android platform24% of smart phones are iPhones24% of smart phones are BlackberriesIf you have a smart phone, desktop or laptop – you already have an e-reader
4 positively charged white pigments. 5 negatively charged black pigments. 6 transparent oil.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_ink
Which is better for reading outside in the sunlight? At night in the dark?Customer images uploaded at the Amazon Kindle store
Single function devices do one thing and do it wellMulti-function devices do many things, maybe not as good for reading booksDo you only want to read text? Dedicated e-readerhttp://www.notebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/ereaders-500x312.jpgOr do you also want to read your email, access the Internet, play games, etc?Tablet pc or smart phonehttp://touchscreenphoness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Tablet-Pc-Apple.jpgBook readers tend to own e-readersMagazine and newspaper readers tend to own tablets
The half pound Kindle is lighter than a 500-page hard cover bookNook color weighs about 1 pound (bigger battery)iPads weigh about 1.5 poundsE-readers are typically smaller than tablets, 7 inches vs. 10 inchesSmart phones are even smallerKindle batteries can last one month or longer without charging – as long as wireless is turned offColor devices have shorter battery durationE-readers cost between $79-189Color Nook costs $250, Amazon Fire $199Tablet PCs cost around $500
We will see prices continue to fall – the ongoing revenue is in the e-books not the devices
E-books have been around a lot longer than e-readers1971, Project GutenbergEncyclopedias were very popular on CD-ROM in the 1990s – now these are online databasesReference books were easy to provide as searchable databases – not reading cover to cover, just want a small portion of the whole
From their inception, e-books have always been readable through a computerFrist through a CD-ROM and later with a web browserBut not easily portable until late 1990s and late 2000s
Kindle & AmazonNook & Barnes & NobleSony Reader & SonyiPad & AppleFile formats vary by deviceMost e-readers use wifi, Kindle also offers a 3G version (one time fee)Tablets either use wifi or pay monthly fee for 3G accessOverdrive e-books can be downloaded to Nook, Sony, iPad, or Kindle e-readers
Print books – Once you buy a print book you can do almost anything with it you wish (right of first sale)– Lend it, copy it, write in it, gift it, sell it, donate it, destroy it– Copyright protects owner’s right to copy, distribute, adapt the work– Fair use allows teachers to use portions of works in instructional settings without violating copyright – most often this is about copying and distributing portions of worksE-books are licensed– In most cases, you lease access to but do not own the e-book– Do not have right of first sale – in most cases cannot lend, cannot copy, sell, or donate it– Digital Rights Management is the copyright holders attempt to prevent illegal use of their content (music industry has given up on DRM for the most part)– Contract law trumps copyright law
Currently GDL and Flint Public offer Overdrive e-books that can be downloaded to personal e-readersYou can check out the book for 2-3 weeks just like a print book. Not sure if ebook disappears from your device or the access just turns off when due date arrives.One user per title unless buy multiple copies – just like print books.Mott Library does not have a contract with Overdrive
View all of these with web browser on a computer, tablet, smartphone
January 2012 - library surveyQuickly changing technology – need to keep up