e-Reading - the changing landscape

I stumbled on a white paper publisher by Springer.  It is a very interesting synopsis of two studies about eBook adoption and benefits.  Springer asked librarians and users about their views on eBooks.  The original study was done in 2007 and focused on librarians. The followup study was done in 2008 and addressed users. 

The executive summary concludes:

The survey uncovered some encouraging results regarding eBook adoption. Most users were aware of eBooks and had accessed them at least once. Respondents also overwhelmingly said that eBooks are useful and that they would like to incorporate eBooks into their information experience more frequently.

Some of the other points of interest include: 

• The main use for eBooks is for research and study
• eBook usage is still less concentrated than online journal usage
• Users find eBooks through using Google or accessing their library
• The primary benefits of eBooks as sited by readers are convenience, accessibility, and enhanced functionality
• Current users expect to prefer eBooks to other reading formats over the next five years

The study summary is as follows:

Users are not reading eBooks cover-to-cover in the traditional sense but instead approach them as a resource for finding answers to research questions.

I have been thinking about this for the last few days.  Thinking about how I read and how my reading habits have changed as I have adopted eBooks.

What I realize is that how I read for pleasure has not really changed much.  But the way I read for information has undergone a profound change. 

If I wanted a specific piece of information in the past I would go to the library and use the card index or microfiche, spend hours of time and more often than not end up frustrated. 

Now, if I want a specific piece of information I Google it.  Usually I can find it very quickly.  And then a funny thing happens -- I start browsing related links.  Before long I have spent hours of time, but I have enriched my knowledge base in a significant way.

If I want a specific piece of information from a book, I search on key words or phrases and it generally pops up pretty quickly.

Nice to know that I have become a typical reader <g>.

del.icio.us Tags: ebook,e-books,ebooks in education,reading

Get Caught Reading Month

One of my earliest memories is sitting with my Dad as he read me my nightly bedtime story. 

Dad may have enjoyed our nightly ritual even more than I did.  It was his big chance to indulge in theatrics.  During his daytime life, my Dad was a rather conservative, soft spoken even humble man.  But when it was bedtime story time he became something else all together.  He whispered, roared, created voices and even sang once in a while. 

It is probably safe to say that my love of reading is forever entwined with my love for my Dad.  So, I think it is exquisitely appropriate that May (the month of his birthday) is the month for the "Get Caught Reading Month" campaign.

Dad would have loved it!

This is the ninth annual campaign since The American Association of Publishers decreed May as "Get Caught Reading Month".

This year the Get Caught Reading website  offers a selection of pictures that show a celebrity (like Queen Latifa, Jenna Bush or The Miami Heat) reading. 

These images can be downloaded as a screen saver or ordered as posters.  Or you can use them to send an an ePostcard to a friend. 

One of the most interesting features of the website is the section dedicated to their literacy program.  The most fascinating piece is the Fact Sheet on The Importance of Reading to Young Children. Here are a few of the facts and figures!

Did you know that:

• When you read to a child that in a matter of seconds, thousands of cells in these children's growing brains respond?
• reading adds definition and complexity to the intricate circuitry of the brain that remain largely in place for the rest of these children's lives?
• Literacy later in life depends heavily on a child's environmental influences?
• Reading aloud to children is the single most important way for a child to develop literacy skills?
• Many pediatricians prescribe reading activities at the time of well-child visits?

Evidently all that reading had a part in determining by eventual vocation and avocation.  And here I thought that Dad read to me just for fun!

del.icio.us Tags: books,reading,literacy,Get Caught Reading Month

eBook News Items of Interest

Adobe Digital Editions Release 1.5

This week Adobe announced that the Beta version of Digital Editions 1.5 is available for download.

This release will fix some of the annoying DRM problems and FINALLY support the Mac Leopard operating system. The Adobe Blog has a long list of features and improvements.

I was very exited when I read about this and rushed over to the Adobe site to find out more. I followed the (broken)link with the intention of downloading and testing it. I'm an old beta tester. I was ready, willing and able. And then I saw the follow notice:

You should be aware that this beta release includes a new version of DRM (Digital Rights Management) protection. If you plan on using Digital Editions for mission critical work, we recommend that, if possible, you continue to use Digital Editions 1.0 until Digital Editions version 1.5 has reached commercial release status (at which time existing Digital Editions users will be automatically prompted to update).

Important: If you have already downloaded Digital Editions 1.0, you must first uninstall the application prior to installing the beta release. Running Digital Editions 1.0 and 1.5 simultaneously will cause issues with accessing and managing your content.

Oh well -- Never Mind!!

Saving Trees

The Standard had an eye catching report about eBooks in education and the Chinese government. It seems that "the government decided to supply 165 million students with an e-reader in order to avoid all the physical costs associated with textbooks."

That should save a couple million trees!

And if that's not enough, here is a way to save a couple million more.

Buy the new scanner from Atiz called the BookSnap aka as the "book ripper". For a mere $1,600 you can purchase a book that will "let users convert physical books into ebooks at a blazing speed of 500 pages per hour. The magic of BookSnap includes unique V-shaped book cradle and V-shaped transparent platen that operate together like a V-shaped sandwich. It is extra easy on your books and ensure you always get scanned results with no page curvature."

Technorati Tags: ebook,ebooks,adobe digital editions,atiz,book snap,ebooks in China

Call me Gene (eBook edition)

The best thing about my job is that I now get paid for doing what I have always done – reading. All my life people have been handing me books saying “You have to read this.” And mostly I have ‘cause I love to read. Then I got into publishing and people started “handing me books” by mail and these days by email. How cool is that!

Last week a woman by the name of Celeste Bailey sent me an email telling me about her books on genetics: Call Me Gene. She even sent me a copy to read.

I have had special interest in genetics since the day I tried explaining hereditary traits to a very precocious seven year old.

She listened to my explanation very carefully. You could almost see the wheels turning in that little brain. After a moment she said. “Well, I think I have more of my Daddy’s genes than my Mommy's”. She was quiet for a moment and then added “But I’m not bald.”

Right then and there I decided that I should probably stick to reading and not try to be a teacher!

Fortunately, there are people in this world who are teachers. They seem to have a gift for making complex information simple and interesting! Celeste Bailey and her sister Lucy Eskeland are two of them.

Call Me Gene is quite literally fun! Yes, it is a kid’s book, aimed at 7th and 8th graders but I actually leaned a couple of things I didn’t know.

The graphics are great – simple, colorful and informative. By the time I was done, I had refreshed my knowledge about basic genetics, cell structure, cell reproduction, Mendel's heredity experiments, and dominant and recessive genes. The discussion on mutant genes and cloning was well written. You may or may not agree with their opinion about human cloning, but I do applaud them for at least addressing it.

This is a great book for anyone who is interested in genetics from the precocious seven year to her grandparents; and of course, her teachers.

Here’s the official stuff:

Call Me Gene-Third Edition is a science book describing the genetic code and the scientific advances in biotechnology. The book is appropriate for late elementary/middle-school students, either in the classroom or home school. The book is written in a narrative and easy-to-read approach. There are numerous colorful illustrations throughout the book.