Amazon Kindles a new love of eBooks

Amazon's new Kindle eBook reader

Amazon has been getting quite a buzz from its new wireless reading device. Although it would be easy to dismiss the Kindle as just another useless eBook reader, Mike Elgan of Computerworld magazine begs to differ:

Opinion: Why Amazon's Kindle is revolutionary

Last April, I wrote a column titled, “Why e-books are bound to fail.” My reasons: cost, the availability of better alternatives and, most importantly, book lovers love paper books.

I was wrong.

Last week, I set out to deflate the hype about Amazon’s new Kindle e-book reader and to tell you why it will fail. But while researching this column, I became convinced of the opposite: Kindle is revolutionary and will succeed in the market. Some percentage of book lovers, including me, will buy one to replace their beloved paper books, magazines and newspapers.

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Self-service in public libraries

Found a new blog: A Neo-Traditional Librarian. His latest post has some interesting thoughts on expanding self-service options for library customers:

1. A great deal of library service has always been self-service. Many patrons use the library without assistance and with minimal contact with staff and like it that way. They are not unsocial or dysfunctional. Many shoppers don’t like sales associates hanging around them either.

2. Some core functions can not be provided well by self-service. Reference. Reader’s advisory. Teaching people to use the library’s resources. Arts and cultural programming. Libraries should focus on making staff support of these as available and visible as possible.

3. Some core functions work quite well as self-service. Internet access with patron self-registration. Holds pickup. Wireless Internet access. Community gathering space. Displays. Remote use and placing of holds. These all require considerable work to make them function properly, but not at Point of Service.

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