Kindle and Nook and iPad--Oh my!
eReaders are hand held devices that are specialized for reading electronic books. Why an eReader and not a netbook? Because eReaders are smaller and more portable, have exceptionally long battery life and employ eInk technology. eInk makes the digital reading experience more enjoyable with less glare and greater resolution. One important point, different eReaders accept different eBook formats. For example, a book from Amazon for Kindle cannot be downloaded to a Nook. If you are a Nook owner, you get your eBooks from Barnes & Noble. Check out the eBook formats tab for more info on formats.
Although Amazon's Kindle blazed a trail for eReaders, Barnes&Noble and Apple are taking a bite out of the market share. In April of 2010, iPad users downloaded 1.5 million books in one month! And don't forget about Sony. They have an eReader as well. The slideshare below is a brief comparison of the top 4 players in the eReader market.
Although Amazon's Kindle blazed a trail for eReaders, Barnes&Noble and Apple are taking a bite out of the market share. In April of 2010, iPad users downloaded 1.5 million books in one month! And don't forget about Sony. They have an eReader as well. The slideshare below is a brief comparison of the top 4 players in the eReader market.
All About E-Readers
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So what about my library? Should we have eReaders?
The simple answer is ....well, there is no simple answer. Some media specialists have embraced eReaders and are ordering them for their library. Buffy Hamilton (TheUnquiet Librarian) is currently blogging about her experiences with the Nook Simple Touch. She has ordered 50 for her media center. This has been a learning process. She started with Kindle, but was unhappy with Amazon's K-12 policies. You can read about her experiences with the Kindle here. Basically, Kindle is not as user friendly to the school environment and their device management and set up is too complicated. Amazon does not currently accept school PO's and they require a separate account for each device. With Barnes&Noble, devices come already loaded with your book order and future orders can be made with a school PO and managed through one "digital locker." In other words, you order books, B&N uploads them to your digital locker and sends you an email, you sync your Nooks and Voila! new books are ready for check out.
But, is loaning eReaders to students really a good idea?
You have to answer that question for your media center. eReaders in schools as loanable devices is very new territory. Doug Johnson, director of media and technology for Mankato MN public schools and librarian blogger, isn't so sold on purchasing eReaders. Two recent blog posts address this issue and raise some very important questions.
What do I do with 5 Kindles?
The eBook Non-Plan
What do I do with 5 Kindles?
The eBook Non-Plan
How do you manage and eBook/eReader collection?
Here are some key points to consider:
Nook Q&A
- How will the eReaders be stored?
- How will they be charged? Will students be permitted to check out accessories (USB, charger)
- How will the eReaders be secured?
- What will the check out procedure and policy be? How will we handle theft or damage?
- How will circulation data on the device and the eBooks on it be compiled?
- How will the eReaders be labeled or identified?
- What will the acceptable use policy look like?
- Can the eReaders be disabled in order to prevent students from downloading content or changing settings?
Nook Q&A
Bottom Line?
eReaders and eBooks are here. Learn about them, experiment with them and talk with your colleagues. Media specialists need to be the pioneers on this subject in their schools and at the district level. Check out R. David Lankes discussion of what an eReader should be.