May 14, 2012

Amazon Offers Harry Potter for Free Through Lending Library

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Potter fans can download all seven books in the J.K. Rowling series starting June 19, following Amazon’s deal with Pottermore to make the titles available through the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library.

Boys Value Reading More with Ereaders

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Middle school boys rated reading more valuable as an activity after two months of using an ereader, according to a study by researchers from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Cool Tools: Easy-to-Use Applications for Creating Your Own Ebooks

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These ebook creation tools offer a range of capabilities, from adding a few page-turning effects to PDFs to creating full-blown interactive ebooks with multimedia elements.

The Truth About Tablets: Educators are getting iPads and ereaders into students’ hands—but it’s not easy

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When it comes to using ereaders and tablets in school, librarians will tell you “it’s complicated.”

Fine. I Got an Ereader. Now What? A newbie to digital reading gets his first Kindle

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“Can I just say something? I’m wary of ereaders,” writes Travis Jonker. Nevertheless, the school librarian took the plunge and documents his experience in SLJ’s latest tech feature.

Letters: For a technology user, a love of print endures

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“My love of actual books does not interfere with my ability to see value in electronic devices and to champion ways for our students and staff to use them effectively,” writes Kate Ewing, a media specialist in Omro, WI.

Librarians Face Patrons Unhappy With Penguin Policy Change; ALA Condemns Ebook Decision

Penguin’s decision to no longer allow libraries to lend its new ebook titles has created consternation among librarians and stirred speculation about the “security concerns” Penguin cited.

Authors Guild Weighs in on Amazon Lending Library

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The Authors Guild called Amazon’s recently launched ebook lending library a “mess” and claimed that Amazon appeared to breaching contracts with some publishers by including their titles in the lending program.

LJ/SLJ Ebook Summit: Making Ebooks Visible at Academic Libraries

How are academic librarians making their patrons aware of ebook options? An afternoon panel at yesterday’s LJ’s and School Library Journal’s virtual summit, “Ebooks: The New Normal,” tackled just that.

Four Librarians, Four Ereaders, One Month

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As LJ gears up for its virtual summit, Ebooks: The New Normal, on October 12, four librarians at Oregon State University give their takes on four ereaders patrons are using right now.