[WEB4LIB] RE: Why eBooks and When?

[Margaret Escherich]

You have a very interesting point, about library policies impeding social
interaction.
We are going to run into this problem more and more, as we juggle the
current popular aim of public libraries to become more of a center of
community, a place to gather and affirm neighborliness, with our traditional
role of quiet study haven.

We do get complaints from patrons about the noise emanating from the area of
our computers, and we have thus far been hedging our bets on the online
"objectionable materials" debate by telling our staff to deal with "problem
computer users" by quoting our library behavior guidelines. These guidelines
state, more or less, that one must not annoy other users, must not disturb
the peace, essentially.  We limit the number of users per PC to limit the
amount of pointing and giggling that the "objectionable materials" viewing
creates.

So how do we embrace both these very different library aims, peace and
community?  I don't think we really want to lose the former, but the latter
aim is also important, in a world where we are all feeling the need to
connect to our towns, in our dispersed living habits.

-Margaret

 Margaret Escherich Hazel
 Senior Librarian/Webmistress
 Oakland Public Library
 http://oaklandlibrary.org

> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib at webjunction.org
> [mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org]On Behalf Of Andrew Cunningham
> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2001 4:56 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: [WEB4LIB] RE: Why eBooks and When?
>
>
> Hi
>
> I find it you bring up the whole aspect of social interaction. I
> started using
> the internet on a regular basis in 1989, in university computing
> labs. And
> during that time, and when i returned to uni in the mid 90s for
> further study,
> the key characteristics of the computer labs were the social
> interaction that
> occured.
>
> Whereas all the libraries I've seen have done everything they can
> to limit
> social interaction in the vicinity of computers. There are
> practical reasons for
> this. But it is worth noting that computer use (in a public
> place) does not
> necessarily impede social interaction, except when policies and
> procedures
> attempt to limit it.
>
> Andj
>
>
> Quoting LINDHOLM Janus L <Janus.L.LINDHOLM at ci.eugene.or.us>:
>
> > I am coming in a little late on this whole train, but I just couldn't
> > resist
> > adding my two cents to Andrew's comment about children and interactive
> > e-books, especially as a parent.  Children are already over interacting
> > with
> > electronics.  The image of a child sitting at a computer and having a
> > book
> > read with all kinds of interactive resources may sound wonderful, but it
> > is
> > so cold, so impersonal.  It isn't that I am anti-technology.  I have
> > been in
> > the computer field for over 20 years.  I guess I'm looking more at the
> > social interaction, the isolation that computers create for those that
> > use
> > them rather than humans for their entertainment and education....
> >
> > The opinions that I express are mine and mine alone.  I am not speaking
> > for
> > my library or my profession.
> >
> > Janus Lindholm                 Applications Support Tech. Sr.
> > Eugene Public Library          541-682-6894
> > Eugene Oregon                  janus.l.lindholm at ci.eugene.or.us
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Andrew Mutch [mailto:amutch at waterford.lib.mi.us]
> > > Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2001 12:58 PM
> > > To: Multiple recipients of list
> > > Subject: [WEB4LIB] Why eBooks and When?
> > >
> > >
> > > I think eBooks will take off when we see the titles that can
> > > truly offer
> > > something over and above what the normal printed book can do.
> > >  The types of
> > > titles that I think have great eBook potential are things
> > > like Children's
> > > picture books and graphic novels for teens.  How many
> > > libraries have Children's
> > > stories on CD where the story incorporates music, video and
> > > interactive
> > > features?  Many are based on traditional print stories but
> > > have been turned
> > > into multimedia experiences where kids are willing to sit in
> > > from of a computer
> > > for an extended period of time to read or be read to. Why
> > > couldn't this same
> > > experience be available in an eBook?  Without that "edge" as
> > > many people have
> > > noted, there is no compelling reason to read eBooks versus a
> > > printed book and
> > > many reasons not to do so.  This type of eBook title could
> > > justify the cost of
> > > the specialized hardware many people associate with eBooks.
> > > I think we will
> > > continue to see growth in the digital reference titles and as
> > > more students use
> > > eTextbooks, the demand for these titles will increase.  But I
> > > agree, anyone
> > > into eBooks better be in for the long haul.
> > >
> > > Andrew Mutch
> > > Library Systems Technician
> > > Waterford Township Public Library
> > > Waterford, MI
> > >
> >
>
>
>
> Andrew Cunningham
> Multilingual Technical Project Officer
> Accessibility and Evaluation Unit, Vicnet
> State Library of Victoria,
> Australia
>
> andrewc at vicnet.net.au