Blogger: Rachel Kent
Now that ebooks are a common and accepted way of reading, I’m curious to know how they are affecting your library usage.
Personally, I’m much more likely to buy a book on my Kindle or at an online bookstore than I am to go to the library. It’s just more convenient to purchase a book and have it instantly delivered to my Kindle or dropped off at my doorstep than it is to drive down to a bookstore or to the library. I do enjoy browsing at bookstores, but I only do that occasionally when I don’t have a specific book in mind.
A friend’s husband uses a Kindle to purchase and read books and doesn’t go to the library at all anymore. He purchases a wide variety of books including classics and new releases.
Michelle Ule has had two experiences with checking ebooks out of the library, and she said both times it was difficult to figure out, but once she had the books she was happy to have them electronically on her reading device.
Another friend doesn’t go to the library as much as she used to because she can get so much reading material for free from Amazon.
What about you? Do you use an e-reader to check ebooks out of the library? Do you just download or purchase books instead of making a trip to the library? Or are you still a fan of going to the library to browse for books?
And are there any of you who don’t have an ereader yet? Why haven’t you made that transition?
I don’t have an e-reader. I don’t know, maybe it’s because I spend too much time on the computer already, reading a book is just an escape from it all — and to read an e-book would be… not enjoyable. Actually, it plain old hurts my eyes! And I love going to the library and looking for books. I just find it fun! I do hope books don’t go out of print.
I think the main reason why I don’t like the library much is that the one I grew up going to was full of homeless people that kind of scared me. I never felt comfortable there. I do like browsing and finding a treasure, but I typically do this at a bookstore. 🙂 I hope books don’t go out of print too!
I have more library books on my shelf than I have time to read before they’re due to go back. So yes, still a library browser. Hope I always will be.
I have so many books in my to-be-read pile too! It’s amazing.
Hmmm, interesting to think about this. So, I have a Kindle, but I’m still more likely to read a hard copy book. I don’t think I’ve yet to actually BUY any material for my kindle. It’s just easier to share hard copy books with friends…even though I know you can technically still lend books out on your kindle. I’ve got a lot of books downloaded on my kindle, but they’ve all been free downloads (publishers like Bethany do a lot of these).
I think my strategy has been either to download the free books on my kindle or reserve a book at the library (I don’t browse…just reserve and go pick it up when it’s there) when I want to try out an author’s work. Once I know I like them, I buy a hard copy of their next books.
I know…old school. But for now, that’s how I roll. 😛
I’m more likely to read a hard copy too, though I do buy books on my Kindle or phone.
There are many books I want to read once but have no desire to own–I get them from the library. My Nook houses some classics and some books related to my day job. My favorite finds are from the likes of Oswald Chambers, Spurgeon, Teresa of Avila–inspirational and dowright cheap.
Agreed! I have limited bookshelf space so I don’t need to own everything, but I do love reading A LOT to find the treasures that I might then purchase.
I have a Kindle that I’m in love with (shhh! Don’t tell my husband!) and I get library books on it all. the. time. Once you figure out the system, it’s not any harder to do than to borrow regular physical copies. At first I was a little confused, but now it takes just as long for me to borrow the ebook (minus the travelling time to the library).
Even on the books where it says you have to have the USB cord to download the book, there’s a work around so that you can download it wirelessly, so it’s really easy. (I think it’s Penguin that has this stipulation for all their library books, in order to cut down on piracy, but I don’t see how that affects piracy at all). You just have to go into your archived items on your ereader and click on the book there to put it on your home screen.
The only thing that is annoying about it is that it sometimes takes books a while to get into ebook form. So if it’s a book that I’ve been waiting for forever to read, then I’ll borrow the physical copy because I don’t want to wait any longer for the hard copy. Also, you can “preorder” physical copies before they’re actually available from the library, but you can’t do the same with ebooks. So if it’s a popular book that I know will have a lot of people on the waiting list, I have to sign up for a physical copy.
All in all though, I prefer my Kindle WAY over physical copies. I never thought I’d say that, but the convenience has won me over.
Lol! I won’t tell him. 🙂 My husband got me my Kindle for Christmas almost two years ago. I’ve tried to get him to try it out, but he prefers hard copy.
I usually prefer my Kindle over a hard cover book, but I haven’t yet downloaded a book from my library. You’ve made me curious though–I’ll have to try that soon!
I’m at the library all the time for my kids. I don’t know…I just can’t imagine reading The Hardy Boys to them on a Kindle! 🙂
I’ve never tried downloading from the library either. I think I’d need a lot of help the first time.
And I agree, book time with kids seems like it should still be done with hard copy. My nephew is SO into The Hardy Boys right now. 🙂
Hmmm, I guess I’m not forward thinking, but before I read this today, I had made the correlation that e-readers could reduce library use.
I have a Kindle, but I don’t read it all the time. I still like the feel of a book in my hands. I do go to the library, but not often. My TBR pile is deeeeep. 🙂 I don’t download books from the library, yet.
There should be extra hours in each day for reading!
I like the way you think! ;D
I love my Kindle, but I do go in spurts using it. Right now I’ve got a stack of physical books I need to read so it’ll probably be a good month before I read something on my Kindle.
I do think, though, that Christian publishers are giving away too many books–and they’re often fairly new books. It does seem to be lessening which I think is a good thing.
My library doesn’t yet have ebooks available for loan so I can’t say how I’ll be. But they have a conference room that I escape to many an afternoon to write. I joke that it’s my office away from home. So I can’t imagine that I wouldn’t borrow library books. Add to that the fact that I can’t afford to buy half the books I want to read. 🙁
I agree about the free books. I still don’t understand it! I guess the numbers show that it does lead to more sales, but I can’t get that to make sense in my mind.
Free ebooks are a blessing and a curse. Yes, they help an author get his name out there, but why would you want to give your work away for free? Haven’t you worked too hard to give it away?
As a reader, I like free books, but I end up downloading more books than I’ll ever read. How does that help the author at all?
I don’t have an e-reader yet, either. I do however have the free Kindle app on my computer, allowing me to download many of those wonderful free ebooks. 🙂 I think I’d actually like an e-reader, though. I get a bit tired of looking at my computer screen (with writing and my part-time work being on the computer), and from what I’ve heard, the Kindle screens look more like a book page. I mainly haven’t made the transition because of lack of money. (I do also still LOVE a physical copy of a book.)
I still frequent the library, but mainly for my kids’ books and programs. I check out books for me, as well–mainly reference books or a fiction book I’d rather not purchase. My library usage as decreased for my personal reading, but increased for my kids. I don’t browse for me like I used to, but I browse frequently for kids’ books.
I love the atmosphere of the library… I sure hope they won’t diminish soon.
I think the screen on the Kindle is pretty easy on the eyes. I think the longer you wait the more reasonable the price will get, so hang in there!
I hope libraries stick around too.
I have yet to take the e-book reader plunge, though I currently stand on the edge looking over the precipice. 😀
I plan to buy a Kindle, but I prefer paper books. It’s just that electrifying thrill I get as I turn page after delicate page. I don’t think I can feel the same way about an e-book.
On the contrary, I am infamous for packing too many books on trips and my suitcase is always cutting quite close to the 50 lb mark at airports. An e-book reader could leave me room for more souvenirs.
I became sold on the e-book reader though when a friend read my debut novel manuscript on her Kindle and it looked just like the other e-books’ pages. I caught a glimpse of the great thrill it is to be a published author.
I love physical books and libraries. When I’m having a rough writing time, I will sit at a library table surrounded by books and remember why I am writing.
It is my passion–one that I know God has put in my heart for a reason…and in the end for Christian authors if our writing is fulfilling God’s plan for us then the words reaching the intended readers via e-book or physical copy does not matter in the long run. 😀
I love that sitting in a library is an encouragement and inspiration for your writing!
Indeed, my local library has made it easier to make the trek there and get the physical book than to download one onto a kindle.
And doing so just happens to keep librarians with a job…..surely no conflict of interest there! 😉
I wonder what the data are for twenty-somethings and others who are more into the digital lifestyle. Will libraries one day become nothing more than ones and zeroes on a tablet or smartphone?
Well, I’m in my twenties and I don’t go to the library. :-\
Out of all of my twenty-something-year-old friends I can only think of two who go to the library at all. Most of my friends read hard copy books though. Very few have ereaders beyond the Kindle app on a smart phone.
I’m in my twenties, and the only times I set foot in a library is to pick up books I’ve reserved online, to drop off books I’ve read, or to write. I love the atmosphere of the library. It holds lots of great memories for me as a kid.
So many I’m weird. 😛
*maybe* I’m weird.
I’m in my 20s too and I go to the library. I browse the Christian fiction section, which is what I write, for inspiration. 😀
Thanks for weighing in, Lindsay and Morgan! I really think the lack of library usage within my friend group might be because of the homeless people at the libraries in Santa Rosa. It’s a bit nerve wracking. I’m not scared of homeless people but some of them are a bit “off.”
No e-reader here yet. I still like to browse the stacks at a library or bookstore to see what hooks me. I still like to see what stands out among all the choices, and why. I still like to hold the book in my hands, and underline a great phrase or paragraph, or a new word. I’ve digitalized my camera, phone, bank account, letters, research, and taxes–all happily. But I guess the only savings to me with an e-reader is the weight and space of carrying around a TBR pile on vacation. :o)
Someday I might have an e-reader, but so far I’m getting along alright without one.
I like stopping at bookstores while on vacation and getting a new book to read. It’s fun to explore bookstores in different locales.
I don’t have an e-reader because no matter how long the batteries last, they still require a power source at some point. I don’t live off the grid… but I’m right on the edge. Except for the computer, I’m mostly unplugged (and it’s certainly not on all the time).
Also, I love illustrations. I haven’t seen an e-reader that can reproduce Arthur Rackham, N. C. Wyeth, and Maurice Sendak like good old-fashioned off-set printing does. But I’ll admit I don’t have access to the newest shiniest technologies.
Our village has a library. It doesn’t carry e-books. We check out the regular kind.
I do find that my Kindle seems to always need charging.
I hear the color nook does illustrations well, but I’ve never seen one in person.
If you shut the wireless off when you’re not downloading books, the battery will last longer.
No e-reader yet. My family would laugh themselves silly if I had one. “So what about the stacks of books all over the house that you still haven’t read yet?”
Until there’s an app for “book smell”, and “feels like paper”, I’m another girl who’s old school.
The two big reasons for me as well, Jennifer, for why I don’t have an e-reader. (Not to mention price!) And then how would I decorate? I love the look of books on shelves.
A house isn’t a home without bookshelves! 🙂
I’m not sure what the e-book means for the local library, nor have I taken the step to e-books. And I work in a library!
I need to try out the ebook lending program just to understand it better. I’ve never taken the time to do it because it sounds like a lot of work.
Does the library you work at offer ebook lending?
Yes, Rachel, we do, but I am clueless! I am head of the Genealogy Dept. so I would need assistance also. No genealogy e-books yet, that I’m aware of.
I have a Nook and would use it to check books out all the time if my library had an actual electronic catalog worth looking through. To call their ebook section pathetic is being too generous.
I don’t use the library here very much at all. The librarians aren’t very helpful, if you can even find one. We’re supposed to be able to use inter-library loan via the library’s website, but I have yet to get it to work.
Sounds like your library needs an upgrade!
Rachel Wilder, I’m so sorry you are receiving poor customer service from your library. They may have had staff cuts.
The major reason your library (or any library) has few ebooks is because many publishers either limit the number of e-books available to libraries or, at this point, refuse to sell e-books to libraries.
Important positive discussions are occurring between librarians and publishers re e-book lending. There are legitimate arguments on both sides of the issue. I’m hopeful they’ll reach a compromise soon.
I have a Kindle app on my computer, but though I’ve downloaded three e-books onto it, I have yet to finish even one of them, voracious reader though I am–I just find it much harder to read on the computer for some reason, unless it’s a ms. from one of my CPs. Maybe it would be different if I had a handheld Kindle, but for now I still dearly love curling up with a hard-copy book. 🙂 I suppose someday the 21st century may catch up with me, though!
I don’t like reading on the computer either!
I’ve always had issues with libraries. There are rarely current with new releases. When they do get a new book in stock, there are not enough copies to meet the demand of people who are looking for it. It’s the same for books that are not as new but in demand. E-books are becoming my mode of choice if I do not buy from a bookstore. I’m still a fan of hard-copy, but e-books allow for more copies to be carried and an ability for me to choose what I am in the mood to read at a given moment.
That’s why I like ebooks too. I can get a book right away and there’s always one in stock.
I’ve always been a book buyer, much to my husband’s dismay, so although I grew up going to the library, I now do my browsing on Amazon. I find that if I’m familiar with the author or have been waiting for the book to come out, I’ll pay whatever price Amazon is asking. If it’s one of their recommendations based on other books I’ve read, or it just catches my eye, I’m usually willing to pay $2.99 or below and take the risk. And then, of course, there are the free ebook classics. My Kindle is well-stocked!
I do take my kids to the library sometimes, but I also tend to buy them books as well. I hope one day I’ll get back to browsing the shelves, but right now, the time it takes to get down there just isn’t in my schedule.
I have a love/hate relationship with Amazon. I love how convenient they are, but I hate that they are a threat to bookstores and publishing as we know it. *sigh*
I do download from the library. It does require several hoops and file transfers but now that I have got the hang of it I can find a digital book and be reading it within about ten minutes.
The biggest problem I have with library download is that I don’t feel their selection is as good as what they have on the shelf. (Especially in Christian fiction or new releases)
I am so tempted to download every book I want online – and I honestly have to admit that I have spent more this year on books than ever before (that one click to buy is my downfall.) I have to be careful with our tight budget.
So, this year as the Hunger Games became the hot topic I reserved them at the library and waited a month for each one. I was tempted to just buy them and read them now – but I decided it was a good practice of patience.
I’ve heard from a librarian friend that putting your name on a waiting list for books at a library really will result in more books being purchased. This is good for the reader and the author!
A year ago I would have said I saw no point to an e-reader. I loved the smell and feel of ‘real’ books too much. Then my husband bought me a kindle to take on our cruise. It was really convenient, but I couldn’t imagine it would replace paper in my hands.
A year later and I don’t think I’ve picked up a paper book in months. The convenience has simply outweighed the feel by too much. I have an account with my library, but with so many of my friends releasing e-books I can hardly keep up with reading those.
Borrowing books, resulting in more to read, would be impossible. I have to sleep sometime. I don’t do zombie well. Although, Oscar the Grouch…
Lol! I’ve done zombie and Oscar the Grouch because of a good book many times. I hate it when you just can’t put it down (but at the same time I love it)!
I love my kindle and I love that most of the books I’ve downloaded have been free. But I still love the library, finding a treasure there and bringing it home. As a mom I also enjoy taking my children to the library and seeing their excitement when they discover a new book. Basically I love anything to do with books and appreciate all avenues for reading them.
I’m so glad that schools around our area have school libraries and encourage students to check books out each week. I think that will be fun when I have school-aged children.
Hi Rachel! As it happens, I just spent an hour and a half browsing through a bookstore today. I received a Barnes and Noble gift card from someone and I did look online first, but I want to see the physical books and browse through them, especially since I was interested in getting a book on drawing fantasy creatures. A brief description doesn’t tell me whether or not the book will be a helpful tool. I bought a couple of books at the store, but will now go online and buy a couple of things online since they didn’t have them in the store.
I don’t go to the library often anymore simply because my life is so busy. However, I have been doing some market research to find books that might be similar to my WIP. I have a list of about seven that I want to check out. Last night, I went online and checked the library’s catalog. All but two of the books are available through the library, so I will get them from the library rather than buy them.
I don’t have an e-reader primarily because I can’t afford one. Currently, I am not making enough money to support myself even though I teach 9-12 credit hours per semester at a college. I was laid off from a full-time teaching position last year. Thank God, I got this adjunct position almost right away, but I have not been able to get another position to supplement nor have I been able to find full-time employment. I have used my sister’s Kindle and read a couple of novels on it. In all honesty, I’d rather read a print book. I like the feel of print books better and I find them easier on my eyesight.
Thank you for the question. I love libraries as much as kids love fudge shops–or maybe more since all the sweets are free. I hope libraries never stop existing.
I do find that bookstores rarely have a book I want if I go in looking for something specific. That’s why I like to go browse with nothing particular in mind.
I don’t have an ereader either. For many of the same reasons already mentioned, price, feel of a book, etc. Going to the library is part of the rhythm of the week at our house. Every Sunday afternoon we grab some sandwiches picnic in the park by the library and then stop in to get a “fix” for the week. I love to be surprised by the stacks.
That sounds like a fun Sunday routine!
I’d have to say I go to the library lots less than I used to. With the price of gas what it is, the fact I can download freebies and I spend a lot of time sampling first chapters, it’s just more convenient.
I just got home from the library where I go every week. I usually get and read half a dozen middle grade or YA books every time I’m there and maybe one adult non-fiction book a month.Even at the low e-book prices I could never afford to buy all the books I read. In my community people of all ages often line up waiting for the library to open. I have a Kindle and a Sony Reader but rarely use them and both have lots of books I’ve never read on them. I save those for times when I know I’ll have to wait somewhere like in a doctor’s office, away from home, but in those situations I often pick up a magazine and read it instead even if I brought the e-reader.
I’ve never checked out an ebook from the library. One thing I love about our regional library is I can put books on hold online and select which location I want to pick up from. I get an email letting me know when the book is in! That’s convenient since my library is less than two minutes from my house. But I find I do more downloading on my Kindle than holding books at the library! 🙂
I use my e-reader for pretty much all my book buying and reading because of the convenience. I do like a hard copy if it’s a writer friend and I want it autographed.
Oh, and I forgot to answer the question about the library. I’ve never used a library for ebooks. Wouldn’t know how that works. Would seem easier to just buy it, since they aren’t that expensive.
During my childhood, my parents made the 50 mile round trip to the library every three weeks or so. Because of the distance involved and difficult traveling in winter, they also enrolled us in a book club of children’s classics – Tom Sawyer, The Wizard of Oz and so on. Until 2 years ago, I had to drive 75 miles round trip to visit a library, which was impractical for every day reading, although I spent much time there when I was researching my Alaska novels.
Now I’m delighted to have millions of books at my fingertips, ready to order when I want. I tend to read from my Kindle more often because I have a degenerative vision problem. I love being able to make my words as large as I need to enjoy reading. I also love the portability of the 200 books in my Kindle. But I have to admit that I still LOVE the smell of the books in a library and I still LOVE a hardcover book in my hands!
Perhaps someday I will have to make the switch from ebooks to braille – and I pray not – but I will still be READING!!
I love your dedication!
Some of you mentioned all the hoops involved in downloading ebooks from the library’s website. Libraries purchase ebooks through OverDrive (a wholesaler like Ingram for print books, but for ebooks). This means that you are not only dealing with the library’s system for downloading, but OverDrive’s too.
Libraries have had some issues with OverDrive, including the relatively small number of books available and OverDrive’s cataloging system.
An increasing number of libraries are forming cooperative arrangements with other libraries to purchase ebooks directly from publishers. I think more libraries will go this way in the future.
A recent Pew Survey reveals some interesting data on book borrowing, ebooks, and the public library. You can read the survey results at
http://tinyurl.com/bplfnxq
Loving the discussion today! I used to visit a library with my whole family when I was younger – a regular monthly outing with very fond memories. Haven’t yet joined the e-reader revolution properly, but I’m getting a Kindle for my birthday in a few months time. At the moment I have the Kindle app on my iPhone and Macbook but hardly use it. Actually forget I’ve got it most of the time! I’m looking forward to owning a Kindle but I still believe I’ll never lose the sense of a REAL book. I don’t think you can beat it.
I don’t have an e-reader. I’m a die hard, I guess, but the library is still my best friend! I constantly have a stack of library books I’m reading through.
A real book in my hands feels so much better than reading on a screen. (so far, anyhow!) But, I can see the advantage when traveling.
I’m a little late to this discussion, but I thought I’d put my two cents in anyway. I’ve always referred to the library as “my happy place” because it was close to my house when I was growing up and it was one of the few places I was allowed to go by myself. I loved it there! Now that I have my kindle, I find that I’m downloading so many free titles from Amazon, that I rarely go to the library for reading material. I even download old out-of-print books for historical research from Google Books. I do take the kids to the library regularly. I really hope that e-books don’t spell the end of public libraries. I’ve always felt fortunate to live in a country that makes books available to all–not just those who could afford to shop in bookstores and online.
I just sent my manuscript to some agents. I feel very confident about my work. I’ve always been kind of scarred to let people read what I wrote from the fear of them stealing my idea. I let one lady read it that works with me, and she wouldn’t give me back my computer. The lady told me writing style is different, and so is my idea which made me feel confident. A new style of writing is on the up rise. Hope everyone gets what they are striding for. Good Luck to all, and my quote “I can’t draw, but I can paint beautiful pictures with words”.
This is a great discussion. I love my Kindle, but I don’t borrow eBooks from the library because my usual visits to the library are for research, and often that requires getting books from libraries out of state. One day I’ll have to write something contemporary that doesn’t require historical details. 🙂
I probably read about as many books on my Kindle a year as I do printed books. I feel better requesting an electronic book from an author for review, since I know it saves them postage. But I would never want to see printed books go away completely. The reading experience is more satisfying when you’re holding a book in your hands.
I haven’t been to the library since I got a Kindle two years ago. At first I tried to use the library’s ebook lending service, but was never successful so I just stopped trying. Between free, low-cost and higher-priced trade books, I have picked up several hundred online. Amazon’s share holders send me thank you cards.
I still get paper books by trading with friends or at garage sales, thrift stores, etc. but I’m much less impulsive. I now weigh both the cost and shelf space when making a purchase. I also still purchase new books, but almost always they are unavailable electronically and are usually reference type works.
I have to admit, the appearance of the ebook reader has killed my library habits as much as my cable company’s On Demand service killed my NetFlix addiction. I have a feeling it’s a universal phenomenon — One of our local libraries remains barely stocked due to the decline in use.
I love the smell of books and use my library as much as before. I’ve also taken a class offered by my library and downloaded library books to my Nook.
When I first started using my Kindle, a strange pattern developed. I found I preferred to read fiction on my Kindle and non-fiction in printed form. But now I’m beginning to wish for non-fiction on my Kindle, too.
Of course nothing beats looking at my book shelf, touching the covers, and turning the pages…
I love books. I grew up in the country and our library had a bookmobile that came out to our area every couple of weeks. I would take two brown paper grocery bags and fill them with books and read them all before the bookmobile came back. I started reading before I started school My dad and my grandmother instilled a love of reading. My grandmother had to quit school in the third grade because she was the oldest of 12 children. Since she couldn’t go to school, she read everything she could get her hands on. My dad is a Louis L’Amour fan. i think he has read everyone of his books several times over. I used to buy paperbacks, but now I mostly buy hardcovers of my favorite authors. Many are autographed or first editions. I resisted the ereaders for a long time, but my husband bought a Kindle Fire for me this past Christmas. I think I have read over 200 books since I got it. Most were free or very low cost. I love that it is easier to hold with arthritic hands and I can set the type so that it is easier on my eyes. However, I will never give up my hard copies. I still love the feel and the smell of books. I have so many that my father built a 4ft. x 8ft. bookshelf with 1 1/2 inch think shelves. All the bookshelves on the market start to sag after a time. He still can’t believe I have enough books to fill it up. I could actually use a couple more, but Dad is 76 and I don’t want him working so hard. The bookshelf needs 3-4 people just to carry it. I hope ereaders never replace books. I love both. We travel to Europe every few years to visit my husband’s family. This year I had the Kindle and was able to cut down on the amount of luggage and the weight. It was great. I always had something to read while on the flights or waiting in airports. I stopped borrowing from the library because I don’t get out a lot anymore. I do frequent used bookstores and thrift shops to find the first editions of favorite books. I have even found autographed copies in used bookstores in excellent condition. I passed my love of reading on to my oldest daughter. She used to sleep with books instead of stuffed animals. 🙂 Now I’m introducing my 2 year old to books. She is adopted and has a rare eye condition and is unable to focus horizontally. She will have a difficult time reading so we are starting early with books, speech therapy and she is seeing an eye specialist. There are computer programs that stream books across the screen so that she won’t have so much trouble focusing on the words. So as much as I love books I am thankful for the technology for making books available for the blind and other disabilities. Please keep her in your prayers.
nice titts
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