This technology step concerns use of e-books. It's a lot more complicated than I ever thought. I haven't had an opportunity to download anything from Overdrive since the Van Alstyne Library doesn't own a subscription. I need a membership card in the McKinney Library to use their subscription. I do use my Kindle daily to download my personal book choices. But it is not possible for libraries to circulate Kindles yet, if ever. There are too many restrictions for libraries to loan out e-book readers. So the great technology that allows users of Kindle, Nook, Sony, etc to purchase books and read them instantly is closed to libraries until some future technology adjustment is made. Definitely libraries are in danger of being superceded by this technology. Fortunately there are still plenty of readers who want the book in hand, or, don't like or understand the technology.
Project Gutenberg has thousands of free downloads. All are in the public domain. I downloaded Andy Adams "Log of a Cowboy" formatted for Kindle to my PC to see if I could transfer it to my Kindle. I was also able to read it easily online at the Project Gutenburg site. Go to "Log of a Cowboy" to link to Project Gutenberg. Many of the files are for audio books also. The key is that the copyright must have expired before a book can be digitized on Project Gutenberg. Click here to try looking up one of your own old favorite books.
Join me in a discussion of current books, local history, and library technology.
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