Going Digital: E-books

Adam Strohm Hall – Detroit Public Library, Main Branch*

Recently our local public library had cutbacks (which left my son out of work) but I started thinking about the library services, physical books and the future of our library systems.

When I was a teenager, I loved going to the library to do research for a paper, check out classic books, trace my family history and just hang out. [OK, yes, I was nerdy, even then.] Now, that same research can be done online, with the most current information and access for academic resources with just the click of the mouse. As a student, I have been to the college library once.. not to pick up a book but to pick up a prize. ???

Don't get me wrong. I love libraries. Its just that things are starting to change. E-books are just a fraction of the market and it is growing by leaps as the price of e-readers drop.

There was a time for public libraries to bring reading to the masses and preserve historical books and documents. But the world is a changing. Although there may be some need for physical books (big question mark), most of the sources will probably be digitized. I remember when libraries had card catalogs. The transition to computer based searches were dynamic and improved services dramatically. If libraries do not adapt to the cycle of innovation and competition, they will find themselves with a diminished role in our culture.

So, where once the book (and heavy backpacks) ruled, now computers, tablets, e-books, CD/DVD audio books and the Internet are changing the way we view reading and libraries. So where are these online resources?

The Digital Book Index: Search through 140,000 (and rising) indexed e-books.

Project Gutenberg offers over 38,000 free e-books: choose among free epub books, free kindle books, download them or read them online.

Internet Archive - One of my favorite places, like the library, you never know what you will find. Over 2.5 million free titles. (browse one of the sub-collections like American Libraries.)

http://www.free-ebooks.net/ - Discover all-new, rising authors. Independent writers offer both entertaining fiction/romance for your enjoyment and non-fiction to help you find info from self-help to biz growth.

Open Library: How can you pass up 1,000,000 free book records? One web page for every book, About 10,000 eBooks available to anyone to borrow, 1 copy at a time, for 2 week.

Amazon and Barnes and Noble both have free public domain books in their collections. If you have their e-reader, this makes it easy to keep track of your books. (Amazon stores your collection at no charge!)

Happy Browsing! ☺

*The three-story Italian Renaissance style building was designed in 1921 by Cass Gilbert. Adam Strohm Hall is a majestic antechamber with a 35 feet ceiling painted with rosettes and caissons surrounded by massive murals. Over the entryway is "Man's Mobility" by John Stephens Coppin. Adjacent to the hall is The Grand Staircase, circled by five murals illustrating music, graphic arts, poetry, prose and the joining of the ways by Edwin Howland Blashfield. Source: http://www.dpf2009.wayne.edu/social-events.php

Funny Little Characters

Ever wonder how to make those cute facebook symbols such as musical notes and hearts on your PC? You can add them to your documents, emails and more if you know the secret. These are special character codes. Although there are different ways to create these, this is a fairly easy keyboard shortcut to what is called the "character map" on your computer. [You can find the character map by clicking on the Microsoft start menu button and typing in "Character Map".] If you’re on a laptop make sure you ‘Num Lock’ is on! The ‘Num Lock’ button is on the top right of your keyboard. Next, hold down ‘alt’ (the one in the bottom left of your keyboard or on either side of the space bar) and type the following on the numeric keyboard (not the top row of numbers): Hold ‘alt’ then type 1 – ☺ Hold ‘alt’ then type 2 – ☻ Hold ‘alt’ then type 3 – ♥ Hold ‘alt’ then type 4 – ♦ Hold ‘alt’ then type 5 – ♣ Hold ‘alt’ then type 6 – ♠ Hold ‘alt’ then type 7 – • Hold ‘alt...

The New Visual Network: Pinterest

This new up and rising website star has no visible means of support, contains millions of pictures and receives visits from 10 million people in the U.S. each month. It was listed as one of the The 50 Best Websites of 2011 by Time Magazine. It has received some impressive free media exposure with Reese Witherspoon stating it has "a collection of the most amazing, wonderful craftiness on the earth!" So what is Pinterest? It has been called a visual bulletin board for the Web. People post images of what they love: food, clothing, crafts, books, movies, decorating, travel, photography, videos.. you name it, it's there. Images are called "Pins" and they can be uploaded or with a small application added to your browser, from websites. Once something in "pinned" on Pinterest, you can "Repin" to add it your board. Many of the pins are linked to their original location on the web ( to double click on the full size image), so instructions ...

Clean Up Your Notifications

OK. On any giving day I used to get hundreds of email notifications. Why do I need so many? I don't, really. I am on many of the social networks daily. But it takes time to change all those different sites.. or does it. I was browsing on Pinterest (feel free to follow me!) and I found this really cool tech website. It is worth sharing! You can modify your notifications with the click of a button on the website. Simple, convenient and amazing. Drop on by http://notificationcontrol.com and reduce your email overload!☺

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