In the last six months I've purchased two Sony Readers. A good example of compulsive buying. Do I really need them? The first was the Reader Pocket Edition which lets you access up to 350 books from anywhere. It has a 5 inch screen and is very easy to read even in direct sunlight. I was surprised though that it doesn't light up at night, so you have to have an external power source to read. You can purchase books from the Sony Reader Store, but also can download free public domain titles from Google Books, and there are over one million. The Sony Store has many new releases, but it doesn't contain too many previously released books which is somewhat of a disappointment. The positive is that prices for books are 40 to 60% cheaper than purchasing the printed edition.
Recently, I purchased the Sony Reader Touch Edition. One of the advantages with this edition is you can not only download 350 books, but it has memory expansion card slots so many more books can be downloaded. Quite the little library one can carry around on a device that is thinner, smaller, and lighter than most magazines. This one has a 6 inch touchscreen and with a stylus one can highlight text and write in annotations. Again, you need an external light to read in the dark although with this model they've attached one of those little reading lights you can buy in bookstores.
They, despite some limitations, are cool to use and it's easy to download books. But I didn't mention that neither Reader has colour print or visuals. At $199.00 and $299.00 How come? Maybe someone can explain that one. Economics?
Will I stop reading print books? No way. First of all, content is limited with the Readers. No where near everything in print can be purchased electronically. And like all electronic devices, when was the last time I charged it up on the computer's USB. Like my cell phone, I forget sometimes and, alas, nothing to read.
Will I continue to use my Sony Readers? Absolutely.
And while I have been playing away with my two Readers, I notice that Sony now has a Daily Edition Reader on the market. A 7 inch screen and you can download books (and daily newspapers) wirelessly.
I think I'll hold off on that one for awhile.
Anyone in the school is welcome to take a look at my Sony Readers.
Has anyone had a chance to look at Amazon's Kindle which is now available in Canada? It would be interesting to make some comparisons.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
NoveList (from EBSCO)
For readers, NoveList is an excellent database from EBSCO. There are several very useful links such
as Book Discussion Guides, Author Biographies, Award-Winning Book Links, and Recommended Reads.
If you like a particular book, the database will search out other books that have similar themes. You can access NoveList from the Library Home page at http://www.hsslibrary.com/ and then under EBSCO databases.
as Book Discussion Guides, Author Biographies, Award-Winning Book Links, and Recommended Reads.
If you like a particular book, the database will search out other books that have similar themes. You can access NoveList from the Library Home page at http://www.hsslibrary.com/ and then under EBSCO databases.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Twilight, The Graphic Novel
Stephenie Meyer has teamed up with Korean artist Young Kim to create a 224-page graphic version of the novel Twilight. The graphic novel comes out on March 16, 2010. For fans of theTwilight series, Stephenie Meyer in the January 29, 2010 issue of Entertainment Weekly says, "I can't say that I am done with Twilight forever. I'm not working on anything new Twilight-related now, and probably not for a while. But there's still a possibility that I'll go back and close some of the open doors." This is good news for Twilight fans.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Freedom to Read Week, February 21-27, 2010
This year's Freedom to Read Week takes place from February 21-27, 2010.
During the week Canadians are encouraged to think about and commit themselves to the principles of intellectual freedom which in Canada are guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Many books have been challenged in Canada, including ones that you may have read, including David Guterson's Snow Falling on Cedars, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, and John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.
Even the Harry Potter series has received numerous complaints (in 19 States and various parts of Canada) about the books being read in the classroom because Harry is engaged in wizardry, witchcraft, and magic-making, and that these activities are inappropriate for young readers.
For more information about Freedom to Read Week go to http://www.freedomtoread.com/
During the week Canadians are encouraged to think about and commit themselves to the principles of intellectual freedom which in Canada are guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Many books have been challenged in Canada, including ones that you may have read, including David Guterson's Snow Falling on Cedars, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, and John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.
Even the Harry Potter series has received numerous complaints (in 19 States and various parts of Canada) about the books being read in the classroom because Harry is engaged in wizardry, witchcraft, and magic-making, and that these activities are inappropriate for young readers.
For more information about Freedom to Read Week go to http://www.freedomtoread.com/
Monday, November 9, 2009
Support the Coalition for the Defence of Writing and Publishing in British Columbia
Three major British Columbia literary organizations (Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia, B.C. Association of Magazine Publishers, BC Bookworld Newspaper) have recently had their provincial funding cut by the Arts and Culture branch of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and the Arts. The Hon. Kevin Kruger is the Minister. The cuts were not small; all provincial funding disappeared. These valuable literary organizations depend upon provincial funding for their survival, and as a result of the cuts, they have formed the Coalition for the Defence of Writing and Publishing in British Columbia. To learn more about the situation, please read the News Release below, and/or contact Margaret Reynolds, Alan Twigg, and Rhona MacInnes for additional information. Please consider sending a letter of support for the organizations, and an appeal to restore their funding. Letters can be sent to Premier Gordon Campbell, Hon. Kevin Druger (MLA), Hon. Rich Coleman (MLA), Hon. Colin Hansen
Margaret Reynolds 604-684-0228 / margaret@books.bc.ca
Alan Twigg 604-736-4022 / bookworld@telus.net
Rhona MacInnes 604-688-1175 / info@bcmags.com
Letters go to-----
Premier Gordon Campbell
gordon.campbell.mla@leg.bc.ca
Fax: 250 387-0087
MLA: Hon. Kevin Krueger (Min. of Tourism, Arts, and Culture)
kevin.krueger.mla@leg.bc.ca
Fax: 250 953-4250
MLA: Hon. Rich Coleman (Gaming)
rich.coleman.mla@leg.bc.ca
Fax: 250 356...-7292
MLA: Hon. Colin Hansen (Min. of Finance)
colin.hansen.mla@leg.bc.ca
Gordon Campbell, your MLA
PRESS RELEASE
Literary clearcut prompts quick response
B.C.’s beleaguered literary organizations are forming the Coalition for the Defence of Writing and Publishing in British Columbia one day after the Arts & Culture branch of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & the Arts (Hon. Kevin Krueger) simultaneously removed all funding from the Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia ($45,000), BC BookWorld newspaper ($31,000) and B.C. Association of Magazine Publishers ($20,000) via phone calls from its executive director Andrea Henning, on October 6.
“Thus far they have chopped off three heads,” says Alan Twigg, publisher of BC BookWorld for twenty-one years, “but indications are that more heads will roll.”
he 50-member Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia, founded in 1974, is the largest regional affiliate of the Association of Canadian Publishers. As the hub of a remarkably diverse publishing industry of mostly small firms, it undertakes extensive business, marketing, promotion and awareness programs such as Resource Tools for Educators, B.C. Books for Schools, a catalogue for Canadian Aboriginal Books for Schools and B.C. Books on BC Ferries.
“Our B.C. publishers are reeling,” says ABBPBC executive director Margaret Reynolds. “It is an absolutely bizarre decision. Governments across the country, federal and provincial, recognize the importance of culture to the lives of their citizens. Why invest in this infrastructure then unceremoniously withdraw it?”
BC BookWorld, since 1987, is distributed via more than 900 outlets around the province on a quarterly basis, reaching approximately 100,000 readers per issue. It has been identified by the Canadian Centre for Studies in Publishing—in a report commissioned by the BC government—as “the most important cog in the infrastructure” that supports writing and publishing in B.C.
“BC BookWorld generates 70% of its own revenues,” says Twigg, “So Arts & Culture has chosen to sabotage something literary that is genuinely popular, public-serving, non-elitist and educational. It boggles the mind. We’re the focal point for all B.C. books and authors.” Twigg got a brief phone call less than a month before his non-profit society was scheduled to renew its 21-year partnership with the provincial government.
Since 1993, the BC Association of Magazine Publishers (BCAMP) has represented the B.C. magazine industry by supporting the talent, knowledge and skills of its publishers. One million people around the world read the 82 member magazines, which include arts and culture, news, business, lifestyle, leisure and special interest magazines.
“We know there is a recession, and perhaps cuts can be expected,” says Rhona MacInnes, BCAMP executive director, “but 100 percent is shocking. By the province’s own reckoning, the arts sector offers a healthy return on investment, so there needs to be a fundamental shift in the way this government assesses value. Sadly, these Draconian measures are just the beginning. We’ve all been given notice to expect severe cuts to the BC Arts Council.”
Some sectors of the literary economy have already been hurt. “Essentially the B.C. government saw they had a deficit,” says Bryan Pike, executive director of the BC Book Prizes, “and we didn’t have any. So they decided to give us some of theirs! They are off-loading debt onto charitable organizations.”
Although British Columbia has one of the highest book reading rates per capita in Canada, or North America, per-capita support for the literary arts from Victoria has always fallen far short of standards set by Ontario and Quebec. “More cuts to the literary community will be devastating,” says Carla Reimer, Executive Director of the Federation of B.C. Writers, one of the largest writing organizations in Canada with over 700 members.
The literary community is aghast at total withdrawal of funding from three of its integral organizations. “The recent cuts to these organizations are a blow to the entire literary community,” says Hal Wake, director of the Vancouver International Writers Festival. “Our festival is about to welcome almost 100 writers from around the world and it is extremely unfortunate that they will arrive at a time of crisis for so many cultural organizations.”
Some of the province’s foremost writers, such as Douglas Coupland (Generation X) and William Gibson (Neuromancer) have already raised their voices to protest the provincial government’s proposals for decreasing support for the arts. “As a futurist, someone with some experience in long-range scenario-based corporate and municipal planning,” says William Gibson, “I've seen my share of jaw-droppingly shortsighted proposals. But these proposed cuts to support for the arts in BC (almost 90% by 2011) really take the cake. This is governance guaranteed to rot the fabric of our province’s future.”
Brad Cran, Poet Laureate for the City of Vancouver, concurs: “Artists and cultural institutions work on already tight budgets, stretching each dollar as far as possible,” says “often with a volunteer workforce and underpaid staffers. Now we’re not talking about minor cuts: we’re talking about devastating cuts.
“The fact that this is happening on the eve of the Olympics (with culture as one of the pillars of the Olympic bid) is an added insult and a broken promise to British Columbians.”
It took decades for the province to generate stability for the ABPBC, BC BookWorld and BCAMP. The Coalition for the Defence of Writing and Publishing in British Columbia will be calling for the reinstatement of funding to these three vital organizations—and an end to the anticipated bloodletting that lies ahead.
Margaret Reynolds 604-684-0228 / margaret@books.bc.ca
Alan Twigg 604-736-4022 / bookworld@telus.net
Rhona MacInnes 604-688-1175 / info@bcmags.com
Letters go to-----
Premier Gordon Campbell
gordon.campbell.mla@leg.bc.ca
Fax: 250 387-0087
MLA: Hon. Kevin Krueger (Min. of Tourism, Arts, and Culture)
kevin.krueger.mla@leg.bc.ca
Fax: 250 953-4250
MLA: Hon. Rich Coleman (Gaming)
rich.coleman.mla@leg.bc.ca
Fax: 250 356...-7292
MLA: Hon. Colin Hansen (Min. of Finance)
colin.hansen.mla@leg.bc.ca
Gordon Campbell, your MLA
PRESS RELEASE
Literary clearcut prompts quick response
B.C.’s beleaguered literary organizations are forming the Coalition for the Defence of Writing and Publishing in British Columbia one day after the Arts & Culture branch of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & the Arts (Hon. Kevin Krueger) simultaneously removed all funding from the Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia ($45,000), BC BookWorld newspaper ($31,000) and B.C. Association of Magazine Publishers ($20,000) via phone calls from its executive director Andrea Henning, on October 6.
“Thus far they have chopped off three heads,” says Alan Twigg, publisher of BC BookWorld for twenty-one years, “but indications are that more heads will roll.”
he 50-member Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia, founded in 1974, is the largest regional affiliate of the Association of Canadian Publishers. As the hub of a remarkably diverse publishing industry of mostly small firms, it undertakes extensive business, marketing, promotion and awareness programs such as Resource Tools for Educators, B.C. Books for Schools, a catalogue for Canadian Aboriginal Books for Schools and B.C. Books on BC Ferries.
“Our B.C. publishers are reeling,” says ABBPBC executive director Margaret Reynolds. “It is an absolutely bizarre decision. Governments across the country, federal and provincial, recognize the importance of culture to the lives of their citizens. Why invest in this infrastructure then unceremoniously withdraw it?”
BC BookWorld, since 1987, is distributed via more than 900 outlets around the province on a quarterly basis, reaching approximately 100,000 readers per issue. It has been identified by the Canadian Centre for Studies in Publishing—in a report commissioned by the BC government—as “the most important cog in the infrastructure” that supports writing and publishing in B.C.
“BC BookWorld generates 70% of its own revenues,” says Twigg, “So Arts & Culture has chosen to sabotage something literary that is genuinely popular, public-serving, non-elitist and educational. It boggles the mind. We’re the focal point for all B.C. books and authors.” Twigg got a brief phone call less than a month before his non-profit society was scheduled to renew its 21-year partnership with the provincial government.
Since 1993, the BC Association of Magazine Publishers (BCAMP) has represented the B.C. magazine industry by supporting the talent, knowledge and skills of its publishers. One million people around the world read the 82 member magazines, which include arts and culture, news, business, lifestyle, leisure and special interest magazines.
“We know there is a recession, and perhaps cuts can be expected,” says Rhona MacInnes, BCAMP executive director, “but 100 percent is shocking. By the province’s own reckoning, the arts sector offers a healthy return on investment, so there needs to be a fundamental shift in the way this government assesses value. Sadly, these Draconian measures are just the beginning. We’ve all been given notice to expect severe cuts to the BC Arts Council.”
Some sectors of the literary economy have already been hurt. “Essentially the B.C. government saw they had a deficit,” says Bryan Pike, executive director of the BC Book Prizes, “and we didn’t have any. So they decided to give us some of theirs! They are off-loading debt onto charitable organizations.”
Although British Columbia has one of the highest book reading rates per capita in Canada, or North America, per-capita support for the literary arts from Victoria has always fallen far short of standards set by Ontario and Quebec. “More cuts to the literary community will be devastating,” says Carla Reimer, Executive Director of the Federation of B.C. Writers, one of the largest writing organizations in Canada with over 700 members.
The literary community is aghast at total withdrawal of funding from three of its integral organizations. “The recent cuts to these organizations are a blow to the entire literary community,” says Hal Wake, director of the Vancouver International Writers Festival. “Our festival is about to welcome almost 100 writers from around the world and it is extremely unfortunate that they will arrive at a time of crisis for so many cultural organizations.”
Some of the province’s foremost writers, such as Douglas Coupland (Generation X) and William Gibson (Neuromancer) have already raised their voices to protest the provincial government’s proposals for decreasing support for the arts. “As a futurist, someone with some experience in long-range scenario-based corporate and municipal planning,” says William Gibson, “I've seen my share of jaw-droppingly shortsighted proposals. But these proposed cuts to support for the arts in BC (almost 90% by 2011) really take the cake. This is governance guaranteed to rot the fabric of our province’s future.”
Brad Cran, Poet Laureate for the City of Vancouver, concurs: “Artists and cultural institutions work on already tight budgets, stretching each dollar as far as possible,” says “often with a volunteer workforce and underpaid staffers. Now we’re not talking about minor cuts: we’re talking about devastating cuts.
“The fact that this is happening on the eve of the Olympics (with culture as one of the pillars of the Olympic bid) is an added insult and a broken promise to British Columbians.”
It took decades for the province to generate stability for the ABPBC, BC BookWorld and BCAMP. The Coalition for the Defence of Writing and Publishing in British Columbia will be calling for the reinstatement of funding to these three vital organizations—and an end to the anticipated bloodletting that lies ahead.
15 Online Resources for Book Lovers
From the Mission to Learn web site, check out 15 Online Resources for Book Lovers
http://www.missiontolearn.com/2009/10/book-lover-web-sites/
C. Chafer
http://www.missiontolearn.com/2009/10/book-lover-web-sites/
C. Chafer
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