Are we or are we not teetering on the brink of a major change in the format of our books? Almost every week, it seems, some author, publisher, librarian or teacher weighs in on whether children are likely to adopt books on machines. The recent issue of The Horn Book gives three useful viewpoints on the value of reading ebooks. All three have a favorable view of the idea of reading an electronic format and all three have experience with the gadgets. Stephen Roxbugh points out that the format in which we read doesn't matter nearly as much as the content. If children immerse themselves in the world of the Hobbit it doesn't really matter whether they do so on a page of on Kindle. For librarians this is probably the most important thing to remember. Our goal is to introduce children to literature--the magic of story and the fascination of facts--whether on a page or a screen is not really important. Whatever we do, let's not waste our time arguing about the life, death, or flourishing of books, let's consider how we can best offer them to children.
This blog, like the rest of the country, will take a brief vacation this week. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
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