Making life difficult for librarians

Librarians have been early adopters of many types of technology, starting with online catalogs a generation ago, but sometimes it seems as though tech producers don't reciprocate their affection. This week's tech sensation, the Apple i-Pad seems determined to make life difficult for librarians. The i-Pad looks as though it will be a great addition to the e-book reader lineup. It's clear screen with color will be attractive to many readers, but perhaps not as attractive if it uses a format incompatible with any other e-book reader. As this article in the San Francisco Chronicle explains, people would have to purchase different copies of e-books for the Kindle, the i-Pad and for other e-book readers. If libraries are going to make e-books available to their patrons, how will this splintering of technology affect them? Standardization is ideal for library formats that can be shared by different users. Why does i-Pad have to go its own way and ignore the convenience of users? It's time for the library profession to protest some of these technology advances that make life difficult for readers.