Wednesday, June 23, 2010

"Real" Books vs Digital

I consider myself someone who embraces and adapts to technology - yep......I love technology.....EXCEPT - when it comes to reading my books! Not long ago, I had a discussion with a "well seasoned" educator who stated "books would soon be a thing of the past". Crushed I tell you. Crushed. I was completely and utterly crushed after that statement.

I love the smell, the touch of a book. I like to look at my collection of books on the shelf - they bring comfort. There is nothing better than snuggling in a comfy chair with a hot cup of tea and a great read (try doing that one with a hand held device - somehow it's just not the same). The demise of books would change forever the beloved bedtime story. Can you imagine reading to your children or grandchildren from a "cold" computer contraption?

If books disappeared from my life - I think I would feel just as Kathleen Kelly felt in "You've Got Mail": " People are always saying that change is a good thing. But all they're really saying is that something that you didn't want to happen at all.....has happened. I own a store, did I ever tell you that? It's a lovely store, and in a week it will be something really depressing, like a Baby Gap. Soon, it will be just a memory. In fact, someone, some foolish person, will probably think it's a tribute to this city, the way it keeps changing on you, the way you can never count on it, or something. I know because that's the sort of thing I'm always saying. But the truth is....I'm heartbroken. I feel as if a part of me has died, and my mother had died all over again, and no one can ever make it right."

4 comments:

  1. i love this! please make a note on fb when you leave an entry because i rarely check my blog updates any more. :)

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  2. Girl, you know I love that movie!
    Books will never go away! What does one old "seasoned" educator know?? Well, I'm sure they know a lot, but I believe they're wrong on this one. :) Rest easy!
    Great blog, and so glad to see you doing it!
    ~M

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  3. Although I love the comfort of an actual book..the digital book seems to call my name to at least "try me"...you can have a thousand books at the click of a button in the palm of your hand...you can pull any book your mind dreams of with the touch of a screen..come on..tell me it doesn't sound a little enticing?

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  4. I think digital delivery of information has a place, but the user experience is not the same. It's a question of economics I believe for content distributors but I don't think the actual book will go away anytime soon.

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