If you peek in the pocketbooks and briefcases of many people, you may just see their personal library of Alexandria. Did you know that you can download the complete works of Mark Twain in less than 2 minutes after paying 99 cents. It almost feels wrong.
And yet, something truly epic and special has happened because these books are accessible. Many people still like paper and there are times I want paper too, but let’s talk about why so many people have begun to favor the ebook.
11 Reasons eBooks Can Improve Your Life
1. Highlights and Notes.
In the Kindle, these notes are available at kindle.amazon.com You can organize, sort, and retrieve notes and highlights. [See How to Export Your Kindle Notes Step By Step or Export iBook Notes to Evernote Step by Step]
2. Search.
Find quotes easily by typing a word in the search books. (That paper you wrote in high school on the symbolism of Queequeg’s coffin in Moby Dick would be so much easier to write now.) [See a YouTube Video tutorial on how to do this on Kindle]
3. Portability.
Book fans no longer have to pay for overweight luggage. Need I say more?
4. Shareability.
Share favorite quotes on the world’s new water cooler: Facebook and Twitter, with a simple highlight. (Goodreads, the social site for booklovers is now also available on the newer Kindles.)
5. Connectedness.
Popular highlights of other readers show you what resonates and adds a whole new dimension to reading nonfiction. [Anyone can see them on https://kindle.amazon.com/most_popular but they show up in your book]
6. Organization.
Organize your books into collections so when you want a classic you can find it or when you want to open your Bible, it is there. [See Reading Tips to Program Your Mind For Success for tips.]
7. Readability.
Make any book large print with one click. Some models have backlighting turn on when the lights go off. See the book and read any time you wish. [Kindle How To or iBooks How To]
8. Learning.
The new Kindle lets you click a word and it becomes part of your “Vocabulary Builder.” This is a flashcard including the original quote and a definition of the word that you can review until you know it.
9. Availability.
You can have your book on your iPad, Surface, Computer and phone. Anywhere, the book and notes follow you.
10. Price.
You can get many free or inexpensive ebooks like the must read The Mill River Recluse or huge volumes of Agatha Christie.
11. Opportunity.
The best thing about ebooks is that the cost of publishing has decreased so anyone who can use Microsoft Word can write an ebook and distribute it. Some great new authors have emerged. [Read AJ Juliani’s post 5 Free Easy Ways to Publish eBooks]
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In this series on ebooks, I’m going to dispel the mystery and confusion many have with using these tools. Learn how to purchase and download ebooks, how to find free ebooks and even how you can check out ebooks from our local libraries.
When the printing press emerged, many appreciated and enjoyed hand copied books and didn’t like the look of printed books. But printed books meant more people could have more books.
We have a new printing press and we carry them in our pocketbooks and briefcases. You don’t have to crank ebook apps and readers, but if you do, you may just find more books and more opportunities to learn improve your life. Lets learn together.
Note: This is part of a series of columns I’ve written for some local newspapers and has been enhanced for the web by adding hyperlinks and resources. To read more of my past newspaper columns go to my “Tech Tips Newspaper Column” to read past columns or to contact me about having these columns in your local paper.
Photo credit: iStock photo
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3 comments
Great article. I love my ebooks…a my hard copies too.
Ebooks seem like a quality use as you said for multiple students to access and also interact with classic literature in a more modern format. The concern with them is over price, not of the content itself but with the devices capable of storing such material. If teachers have access to ebooks I believe there is a place for them in the classroom however there is still merit in having such things as a personal library so students can explore the physical books and see the time and bulk of what it truly takes to write a complete work. Some students are visual learners and the ability to see the actual book and not just the next page on a singular screen may help them appreciate the time, effort, and expertise it takes to come up with a well-known novel or literary work.
As with newspapers, radio, and TV — new media only augments but rarely, if ever, replaces. I think there is a place for both.— Vicki Davis
@coolcatteacher Blog
Host: Every Classroom Matters
Author: Reinventing Writing
Co-Author: Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds
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