Bring back shushing librarians. Laura Miller wants to know where we can go to get some peace and quiet if not the library. She analyzes the latest Pew Research results and wants librarians to know she values our quiet and meditative or studious spaces.
And bless their hearts, students still prefer printed textbooks to e-books.
For Many Students, Print is Still King. However, rather than take students at their word that they find it easier to read and study from a printed text, the pushers of the digital revolution claim they will refine their product so that students will gladly ditch printed textbooks someday soon. Hmm, we will see.
I remember one time I was in a crowded library, noisy as anything; kids running around calling back and forth to each other.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I started eating (quietly) the sandwich I'd brought in from a nearby deli, an employee dashed over to tell me there was no eating in the library. And then she vanished before I could ask her "uh, isn't there some sort of noise ordinance too?"
The library I work at is right next to the school so after school let's out is does get noisy sometimes and I have to do some very polite shushing then.
DeleteWe do have places in the library, out front, where you can eat and drink and use your laptop.
I am a real book person. I want them, I want to keep them, I like to see them all lined up on shelves where I can look at what I have accomplished. LOL...That said, I'm getting a tablet for those times when I don't want to invest in a book but can get it free online. I love E-books for that. I just found out how to convert a PDF file to a epub file so I can bring it to my nook. My husband build me a little stand so my nook can stand alone and I can type "notes" from what I read. lol. I love it.
ReplyDeleteI am seriously thinking of buying an ereader only because I need to understand how to use one in order to answer people's questions about them. I can answer simple questions and have flyers outlining how to use the most popular ereaders but I still get a question every once in a while that really has me stumped since I don't actually use these devices myself. That said, I still love books and think they are best.
DeleteMy kid is dyslexic, so reading on his tablet is easier for him because he can manipulate the text as needed. When he has large print books, he does okay. There's just something about clear, beautiful print on substantial paper with plenty of space between the lines . . .
ReplyDeleteAs I grow older I find I like large print books much better too.
Deleteps: LOVE bell hooks
ReplyDeleteThe only reason I love my Kindle is because of the books by no-name authors that Amazon sells. Bought my share of dogs but ob average a few of them are quite good.
ReplyDeleteNow the school district where I live bought a couple of THOUSAND iPads with the idea of putting the textbooks on them relieving the kids from having to carry a very heavy book bag.
The only problem was that the textbook companies immediately raised the prices putting them out of range of the district budget.
I couldn't study on an iPad. I know I would need the book so that I could write notes in the margin, reread as needed, underline portions of the text, whatever. That was how I studied when reading a text and I know I couldn't do any of that on an ereader.
DeleteKindles are the easiest ereaders to use so far because Amazon streamlines that whole process.
Every time there's something new, there's the accompanying marketing blitz to tell us that we really do want this widget. And for all the hullaballooza about DEATH TO TREES, no one ever seems to bring up all the conflict metals that go into the ever-growing pile of Western gadgets.
ReplyDeleteThat is a very good point. The pollution from ereaders is much worse than from paper books any day of the week.
DeleteI think libraries should be quiet too but since they're usually not I choose to read at home. With that I mean real books made from paper - some of them from very old paper. Books should smell like books.
ReplyDeleteIn the mornings and the last hour we are open we are generally very quiet. I know though that lots of people come to the library to get the books they want and then they go home to enjoy them and that's okay too :)
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