What do you think?
Now, I'm sure you all think you know me well enough by now to say which one I'M in favor of. Well, here are some thoughts as I watch this commercial:
1. Are they seriously doing this like a Mac vs. PC commercial?
2. Are they going to insult people who prefer books?
3. People who prefer books have better arguments than folding down a page.
4. Like...actually holding a book. And smelling a book. And turning pages. And doing something fun not involving the latest technology.
5. If that girl was a REAL book lover she wouldn't have been convinced that easily.
Listen, I am not against the Kindle. Or other e-readers. If it gets more people reading, I'm all for it. And when you get right down to it, you're reading. No matter if you're listening to an audio book, turning pages, or using a device.
And I understand that it's a lot easier to take more books on trips when they're stored in one thin reader, as opposed to stuffing a dozen books in a plastic bag because you're not sure which ones you'll be in the mood for (Not that I know from personal experience...).
But I'm fairly certain I'll always just read books. It's what I do. It's what I grew up doing. It's another way for me to resist technology a little longer. I don't want to add another screen into my life. Cell phones, iPods, computers, Wii... I spend enough time staring into other screens. Books are safe for me. They seem more...organic. But that's my personal preference.
Now, as for libraries and e-readers? They're on their way to becoming good buddies. If libraries don't embrace new technologies, they aren't going to make it. My library is about to have an e-book collection; hopefully, this means more patrons using the library.
Libraries are good at adapting. They have to be. Librarians have got to see things like e-books as another way to take information and learn it, use it, and provide it for our communities. Because that's just what we do.
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