I didn't start buying ebooks until I got my first e-ink reader (the first Nook, when it came out), but I read public domain ebooks for over ten years before that, on desktop/laptop/handheld.
I still go to the library, but only to pick up a specific book which I've checked for availability first. No more weekly trips just to see what catches my eye, in addition to specific wants. I miss it in a way. Much more has been gained than lost, in the ease of accessing and breadth of available books, but there's less serendipity now, the discovery of unthought of possibilities. Even those heavy, clunky, space-consuming card catalogues had their revelatory moments, as your fingers walked the cards.
|