The Great Equalizer

jbcohen · 08-02-2011, 07:46 AM

Last night my mrs claimed that printed books have always been the "great equalizer" since everyone had access to them via their local public library and since most book readers cost $100 or more electronic books are not available to everyone. What is your view on the matter?

DMB · 08-02-2011, 08:11 AM

I think the premise is incorrect. Not everyone has library access. People who travel all the time probably don't. And what about people like me? I am anglophone but living in a non-anglophone country with limited access to books in English. I do read French but I am culturally English and want to read English books.

And in any case libraries would only be a genuine equaliser if one could get any book at all from them, and one can't.

covfam · 08-02-2011, 08:35 AM

The book is not because not everyone has acces to libraries and libraries arent free,

yes ereaders cost more than $100 but the local libraries populace pay more than that in taxes to employ said "free" library .. including the poor.

Hellmark · 08-02-2011, 08:55 AM

I lived in an area where the only nearby library was unavailable to me, because I didn't live within the City Limits. The library of the next county over would accept me, but with a $50 a year fee, plus it was 25 miles away.

charmian · 08-02-2011, 09:20 AM

In 2007, when the Kindle was introduced, it cost $399. Two years late, in 2009, it was $259, and by 2011, the lowest priced model was $114. I think eventually ereaders should fall to a more affordable range. There will also be many used ereaders around, driving prices even lower, as richer people replace theirs as new models come out.

The future of ebooks in the libraries, however, is very much up in the air; we will have to see whether the publishers will support libraries. It's said also that some libraries (the ones working with 3M) are also going to rent out readers, too.

user_none · 08-02-2011, 09:23 AM

A library is only as good as its selection of books. Your experience at a library will differ greatly in a large city vs a rural area.

patrickt · 08-02-2011, 09:40 AM

In the city in which I lived the homeless shelter was quite close to the library. In winter--bad weather--the library would be packed with bums playing cards, talking, bathing in the restrooms, but not reading books.

When I went to the homeless shelter, which I did every week, I didn't see anyone reading a book, ever.

Consider, the taxpayers give poor people cell phones and cell phone service now. Poor people are given air conditioners. So, what's the big deal about giving them a ebook reader.

What's really needed is a standard formatting system. I like my Kindle but I don't agree with the proprietary format.

Pinecone · 08-02-2011, 10:17 AM

Also, library's tend to carry what the local community wants, and doesn't carry many books that might offend the local community. They are funded by public money.

I think online ordering and ebooks are the great equalizers, as they allow everyone to have access to most every book.

ucfgrad93 · 08-02-2011, 10:40 AM

I would say that it is going to be a while before ebooks are the great equalizer. The cost of the reader and the fact that not all books are available in an ebook format are the main blocks.

abookreader · 08-02-2011, 11:39 AM

I think that in US terms saying "Everybody has a library" is a little like saying "Every child gets a free education."
Everybody knows that education is not equal across our nation and neither are libraries.

Some places have fabulous libraries and some are lucky if they get the bookmobile to come through once a month. Some have a library that is 32 miles away and they have to take the bus with 3 transfers to get to it.

I suspect that we will eventually get to the point as a society where instead of focusing on building physical libraries, maintaining them, and staffing them (which is actually the greatest % of most libraries budgets - inventory is an afterthought in comparison) we will focus our dollars on technology. Libraries are more likely to become State or National programs rather than by community by community. On a Digital Platform, it really isn't that hard for a library in New York to service patrons in Alaska.

The hurdles that have to be solved are material availability and yes ... getting technology into the hands of people. Also, training and convincing them to utilize it.

Hellmark · 08-02-2011, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

I think that in US terms saying "Everybody has a library" is a little like saying "Every child gets a free education."
Everybody knows that education is not equal across our nation and neither are libraries.

Some places have fabulous libraries and some are lucky if they get the bookmobile to come through once a month. Some have a library that is 32 miles away and they have to take the bus with 3 transfers to get to it.

In many areas, buslines don't travel that far. In the St Louis area, buses only cover a tiny fraction of the region. If you live west of 270, expect no coverage, so that means a good chunk of St Louis County, all of St Charles, Warren, Lincoln, Jefferson, and Franklin counties aren't supported by Metro (the public transport system for the St Louis region). For where I lived, like I said, the nearest library that would accept me as a member (because I lived in an unincorporated portion of Lincoln county), was 25 miles away and cost $50 a year. Figure it'd cost me $8 just to goto the library and back, in gas, with no public transport as an option. I may as well buy books if I am going to spend that much.

susan_cassidy · 08-02-2011, 12:12 PM

Ebooks are available from libraries and free sources via computer, and not just on ereaders. Many people have computers that don't have ereaders. The people probably are just not aware of things like mobileread and Project Gutenberg, and ebooks from libraries.

Phogg · 08-02-2011, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

Ebooks are available from libraries and free sources via computer, and not just on ereaders. Many people have computers that don't have ereaders. The people probably are just not aware of things like mobileread and Project Gutenberg, and ebooks from libraries.

That would be "The older people probably are just not aware of things like mobileread and Project Gutenberg, and ebooks from libraries."

Today children are being made aware of these resources in the schools.

RainingLemur · 08-02-2011, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

I think that in US terms saying "Everybody has a library" is a little like saying "Every child gets a free education."
Everybody knows that education is not equal across our nation and neither are libraries.

I pretty much wanted to say this.

The schools I went to were pretty terrible, and the local library could hardly be called that. I think my mom had more books than the library did.

Hellmark · 08-02-2011, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phogg

That would be "The older people probably are just not aware of things like mobileread and Project Gutenberg, and ebooks from libraries."

Today children are being made aware of these resources in the schools.

Depends on the school. The adults have to be aware about it first, and quite often, they don't.

08-02-2011, 07:46 AM	#1
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	The Great Equalizer Last night my mrs claimed that printed books have always been the "great equalizer" since everyone had access to them via their local public library and since most book readers cost $100 or more electronic books are not available to everyone. What is your view on the matter? Last edited by jbcohen; 08-02-2011 at 03:07 PM.

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08-02-2011, 08:11 AM	#2
DMB Old Git Posts: 958 Karma: 1840790 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Switzerland (mostly) Device: Two kindle PWs wifi, kindle fire, iPad3 wifi	I think the premise is incorrect. Not everyone has library access. People who travel all the time probably don't. And what about people like me? I am anglophone but living in a non-anglophone country with limited access to books in English. I do read French but I am culturally English and want to read English books. And in any case libraries would only be a genuine equaliser if one could get any book at all from them, and one can't.

08-02-2011, 08:35 AM	#3
covfam Addict Posts: 304 Karma: 1139862 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Ipod Touch,Ipad3,Kindle fire, Samsung Galaxy tab, Samsung Galaxy S3	The book is not because not everyone has acces to libraries and libraries arent free, yes ereaders cost more than $100 but the local libraries populace pay more than that in taxes to employ said "free" library .. including the poor.

08-02-2011, 08:55 AM	#4
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,592 Karma: 4290425 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Foristell, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3, Kobo Libra 2	I lived in an area where the only nearby library was unavailable to me, because I didn't live within the City Limits. The library of the next county over would accept me, but with a $50 a year fee, plus it was 25 miles away.

08-02-2011, 09:20 AM	#5
charmian Addict Posts: 386 Karma: 1814548 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle PW2	In 2007, when the Kindle was introduced, it cost $399. Two years late, in 2009, it was $259, and by 2011, the lowest priced model was $114. I think eventually ereaders should fall to a more affordable range. There will also be many used ereaders around, driving prices even lower, as richer people replace theirs as new models come out. The future of ebooks in the libraries, however, is very much up in the air; we will have to see whether the publishers will support libraries. It's said also that some libraries (the ones working with 3M) are also going to rent out readers, too.

08-02-2011, 09:23 AM	#6
user_none Sigil & calibre developer Posts: 2,487 Karma: 1063785 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida, USA Device: Nook STR	A library is only as good as its selection of books. Your experience at a library will differ greatly in a large city vs a rural area.

08-02-2011, 09:40 AM	#7
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	In the city in which I lived the homeless shelter was quite close to the library. In winter--bad weather--the library would be packed with bums playing cards, talking, bathing in the restrooms, but not reading books. When I went to the homeless shelter, which I did every week, I didn't see anyone reading a book, ever. Consider, the taxpayers give poor people cell phones and cell phone service now. Poor people are given air conditioners. So, what's the big deal about giving them a ebook reader. What's really needed is a standard formatting system. I like my Kindle but I don't agree with the proprietary format.

08-02-2011, 10:17 AM	#8
Pinecone Guru Posts: 902 Karma: 1660722 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Maryland Device: PRS-650, PRS-600, PRS-350	Also, library's tend to carry what the local community wants, and doesn't carry many books that might offend the local community. They are funded by public money. I think online ordering and ebooks are the great equalizers, as they allow everyone to have access to most every book.

08-02-2011, 10:40 AM	#9
ucfgrad93 Wizard Posts: 2,370 Karma: 9026681 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2nd Gen	I would say that it is going to be a while before ebooks are the great equalizer. The cost of the reader and the fact that not all books are available in an ebook format are the main blocks.

08-02-2011, 11:39 AM	#10
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	I think that in US terms saying "Everybody has a library" is a little like saying "Every child gets a free education." Everybody knows that education is not equal across our nation and neither are libraries. Some places have fabulous libraries and some are lucky if they get the bookmobile to come through once a month. Some have a library that is 32 miles away and they have to take the bus with 3 transfers to get to it. I suspect that we will eventually get to the point as a society where instead of focusing on building physical libraries, maintaining them, and staffing them (which is actually the greatest % of most libraries budgets - inventory is an afterthought in comparison) we will focus our dollars on technology. Libraries are more likely to become State or National programs rather than by community by community. On a Digital Platform, it really isn't that hard for a library in New York to service patrons in Alaska. The hurdles that have to be solved are material availability and yes ... getting technology into the hands of people. Also, training and convincing them to utilize it.

08-02-2011, 12:12 PM	#12
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	Ebooks are available from libraries and free sources via computer, and not just on ereaders. Many people have computers that don't have ereaders. The people probably are just not aware of things like mobileread and Project Gutenberg, and ebooks from libraries.

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