Monday List #12

To meet the growing demand for ebooks and ereaders, my Library recently purchased 4 e-readers for staff to learn before we decide which devices we will purchase for patron's to check out. The 4 ereaders my Library purchased are:

1. Sony Reader Touch
2. The Kindle
3. Nook Black and White
4. Nook Color

After experimenting with them for a month I decided to purchase my own and chose the Barnes and Noble Nook Color. The Nook Color combines a tablet with an ereader and I simply love it. So for today's Monday List, here are my 5 favorite things about my Nook Color.

1. The color 7 inch touch screen. Once the user gets used to turning pages with the swipe of a finger or a tap and double taping to enlarge the screen you will love the ease of navigation. The full color screen is fantastic for reading magazine subscriptions, browsing websites (yes the Nook Color has built in Wi-Fi) and children's books.
2. The ability to download library ebooks and audio. Something you cannot do with the Kindle and the major factor in my purchase. I have not had any problems transfering EPUB or PDF books to my device.
3. The Pandora app. I am a Pandora radio junkie and the ability to listen to music through my Nook is fantastic. Even better, you can read and listen to music at the same time. Gotta love multitasking.
4. The settings for e-book reading. Need to enlarge the font, change the color or formatting...there is a setting that should satisfy most. Very important since this device has a LCD screen and does not use the E-Ink screen like the Kindle.
5. The memory. I have 636 books on my Nook Color. Everything from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy to Zodiac by Neal Stephenson. All the Harry Potter's-yup. Chronicles of Narnia-yeppers. Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice-check. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien-of course. Ray Bradbury, Agatha Christie, Lemony Snicket, Neil Gaiman, George Orwell, David Sedaris, Jane Austen...yes. I still have 4.47 GB of my 5.00 GB storage free. LOVE.

If you are a librarian, patron, ereader owner or just tapped into the publishing world than you've probably heard about the fallout concerning Harper Collins decision to put a check out limit on their new e-titles. What does that mean? It means that titles purchased through ebook vendors published by Harper Collins will "expire" after 26 loans. Libraries must repurchase them to continue circulating them. A massive boycott was begun by libraries which Harper Collins was forced to address. Interested in reading more, start below.

The OverDrive letter that started it all
Library Journal breaks the news
More from Library Journal
Tame The Web-Michael Stephens opinion
Librarian in Black-Sarah Houghton-Jan tells it like it is
OverDrive addresses the damage