Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Pixels or Fonts; A Meeting of the Minds

In 2002, I wrote a letter in response to a local librarian who had put down the value of ebooks. A copy went to the librarian and was published in the local newspaper. I quote from it: “I have always believed it should be the goal (and desire) of librarians to encourage people to read. It should not matter what format the reader chooses. The author’s words are there to be shared—a meeting of the minds—whether in pixels or fonts.

I had also commented: “The popularity of e-books is growing, and unfolding technological advances will improve formats. Young children are becoming proficient in computer knowledge, and computers are becoming the norm for many of them. E-books will not fully replace paper books on library shelves, but will give millions of readers the opportunity, 24 hours a day, to download their choice of reading materials from home or work. A trip to the local library will not be necessary.

We’ve come a long way in nearly a decade!


Linda