The Wonderful World of eReaders or: How I gained access to all the hot titles and stopped worrying about what to read during the holidays

Is there a book you have been on hold for what seems like forever for? Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl immediately comes to my mind. What if I told you you could become the first in the hold line without cheating? The library has three copies with no hold list (at this time of writing!), and all can be checked out for 28 days. If you are a Des Plaines Library cardholder, simply search “Nook” in our online catalog and place a hold on one of our ereaders.When your hold is in, visit the Reader Services desk on the 3^rd floor and pick up one of the circulating Nooks the library owns. 

In addition to the Nook devices, we also have Sony Readers and Kindles available for checkout. The Sony Reader has both the Hunger Games trilogy and the first four books of the A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R.R. Martin (the inspiration for the Game of Thrones series you probably have a hold on). The Kindle also has a solid collection of new favorites including Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus and Chad Harbach’s The Art of Fielding. To find out the exact titles available on each ereader, click here to access the catalog, click on one of the ereaders (i.e. Sony Reader), and then click on the “Summary” option to view the titles available on the ereader. 

With the holidays coming up, if you have an ereader on your wish list but aren’t quite sure which one to go with, checking out different types of ereaders can be a way of seeing what might work best for you. These ereaders are equipped with at least 15 books apiece, easily enough to get you through downtime during holiday festivities without having to carry a bag of books with you.

If you have any questions regarding our circulating ereaders, feel free to contact the Reader Services department.

Matte or Glossy?

Okay sometimes it just happens. A newspaper advice column appears before my eyes and the next thing I know I have read the whole thing. It happened to me last week as I read a rather poignant plea for help.The letter started Dear So and So, a few of my friends have told me I'm dull. What should I do?

Well, Ms. Advice Columnist took a very calm approach. Her first response was not "with friends like these who needs enemies." Instead she began a discussion of different personalities and how some of us have a matte finish and some have a glossy finish. And some of her best friends are in fact a little dull but they are good listeners, reliable and comforting.

This holiday season many gift givers are going to be evaluating ebook devices. You have seen the glossy tablets that are the life of the party. Pretty colors shining luminously from the screen, images swirling and gliding across the screen. These devices provide access to media of all types. But there is something to be said for the devices that are more single in purpose --- mainly to read a book. Typically these use e-ink and they mimic the traditional reading experience. The Amazon Kindle, the Barnes and Noble Simple Touch Nook are examples of ereaders that use this technology. They are less of an investment, sturdy and have a long battery life. They may look dull, but let's say they have a matte finish and could be a reader's best friend.

Want help researching an ereader? Talk to us at Readers Services. We have devices for you to practice with or checkout, and we'll walk you through the options to use library ebooks so you don't have to spend money getting ebooks. Also our Downloadable MyMediaMall walk in sessions can be helpful.
For more information call 847-376-2840.

CNET.com has handy reviews of devices as well.
Sony PRS-T1
Amazon Kindle
Barnes and Noble Simple Touch Nook
Complete CNET ereader list

What a gift.

Movers, shakers, quarrels, bankruptcies, intrigue.

I'm not writing of the latest bestseller but Crain's Chicago Business. I'm hooked on this weekly magazine. I had planned to detail my favorite sections but reconsidered after reading a column that suggested personal finance books to give your loved one this holiday season. Writing about Crain's during the holiday season is like receiving Elisabeth Leamy's Save Big: Cut Your Top 5 Costs and Save Thousands

So onto a hot gift idea. E-Readers. Electronic books. Amazon's Kindle, Barnes and Noble's Nook. And the Sony Reader. Are you giving one? Asking for one?

In November 2003, Internet Magazine reported that Barnes and Noble
discontinued an ebook product due to lack of interest. Now six years later, the concept seems to be taking hold with a lot of help from super marketer, technically savvy Amazon.com and their proprietary product, the Kindle. Word has it this product is easy to use, but it will cost you. Of course, all the devices cost money, and the companies that sell them know you will continue to buy from them to add content to the reader you purchased.

Wondering where the library fits into this discussion? A company called Overdrive markets an electronic book collection to libraries. The Des Plaines library has purchased this product, Overdrive's MyMediaMall, for you. Patrons can check out a download of an electronic book and use it on their own Sony Reader. At this time, these free downloadable ebooks only work on the Sony Reader, so it is your best bet if you want to borrow electronic books and not buy them.

What a gift!