Print Not Dead

Yes, I am a Virtual Cat, but I still love curling up with (or on) a good print book.  No need to worry about the blue light keeping me awake.  Thankfully, according to the NY Times, print books are having a resurgence in popularity.  Check out:

The Plot Twist: E-Book Sales Slip, and Print Is Far From Dead

(photo from A J Mast for the NY Times)

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Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Laboring on Labor Day

Yes, I will be laboring on labor day - meaning the Library will be open.  You can get both Reference librarian assistance and access to Reserve materials at the Circulation desk 10am-6pm.

In other interesting news, check out the following free e-books for your classes:

2015 Federal Rules of Evidence http://www.cali.org/books/federal-rules-evidence-2015

2015 Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure http://www.cali.org/books/federal-rules-criminal-procedure-2015

2015 Federal Rules of Civil Procedure http://www.cali.org/books/federal-rules-civil-procedure-2015

Enjoy the long weekend.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Are You Social Reading?

"The term “social reading” can mean different things depending on its context. Social reading can be the kind of work that happens in a literature class where a group of participants all read the same novel (or short story or poem or play) at roughly the same pace and work together .... It could also mean the kind of reading that happens for book groups ....“social reading” has recently also taken on a technological turn as more and more people embrace e-reading technologies: Kindles, Nooks, iPads and iPhones, ...

"Social Kindling,” [is] Amazon’s practice of sharing your highlighted passages and/or annotations with other users. ... even if you do not decide to share ... reading on a Kindle is inevitably a social experience because the default setting on most of the devices is to have “Popular Highlights” enabled. This feature is not unlike buying a used book that has been highlighted by a previous reader–the difference is that instead of a single reader, your e-book will have highlights from hundreds maybe thousands of other readers." Read more here.

Social Reading.  Try it this summer!

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Print Books Are Still Loved By Library Patrons

Ernster loves knowledge and all the ways to get it, whether online or print.  As e-readers and e-books increase in popularity and sales, however, many libraries are caught between moving to the future and preserving the past. 

"While many patrons appreciate bring able to access new digital resources at libraries, they also say they value having print books and other traditional resources at libraries and still want a personal connection with library staff," Kathryn Zickuhr, research analyst at Pew, observed in a press statement. "Many libraries are torn between expanding their digital offerings on the latest platforms and still providing quality resources for patrons who may lack experience with technology or the means to own the latest devices."

What happens to your reader when the battery dies on that desert island?  On the other hand, you can probably only carry 20-30 print books, but your e-reader can bring thousands.  Like most things...it is a toss-up.

Read more @ Mashable: Libraries' Love Affair With Print Is Far From Over
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

E-book Cognitive Disadvantages

E-books have many advantages such as portability, access and ease of use.  However, there are several cons like eye strain, battery power issues and cost (purchase price of books as well as device).  However, we rarely think about the cognitive disadvantages of e-books.  The AALL Spectrum recently published an article entitled "The Cognitive Disadvantage of E-books" which discusses several interesting cons of this format.  Some disadvantages discussed are longer reading times, stress and recall deficit.  Read the entire article here.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat