Kindle, Sony Reader, electronic readers of all types and my opinion…

Sometimes opinions get a person in trouble, but I am still going to say it.  Sorry if I step on anyone’s toes.
Here is a link to an article I read about a library without books… sad
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2009/09/04/a_library_without_the_books/
I do like the idea of the Kindle.  My husband has one and a Sony Reader.  The idea is great.  I also believe that for replacing text books these devices are a wonderful idea.  They could save the backs of our students in high schools and colleges.  BUT for a nice read, for research, or “AR” books I think a library should have books.  I really am very strong on all libraries having books.  The idea of getting rid of them is insane… IN MY OPINION.
My husband (as almost all of my online friends, readers, and followers know) is a high school English teacher turned school librarian.  I worked for years in a county library and later in a books store.  I have a love for books.  My grandmother worked for over 20 years in the library and my mother is following my husband’s lead.  She is now in her school library.  Books are important.  My husband comes home almost daily and complains that kids don’t know how to research in books anymore.  The teachers have given up at his school and all their research is online.  How sad.  Learning to look though a book is better then online because some sources online are false and in a book it’s hard to have fake info because of publishers/editors and fellow researchers.  They would attack the book and it would not sale as a non-fiction.  My husband has spoken up and out about this but in this area the teachers are not going to fight the students.  Internet one books zero.
I don’t feel I am being old fashion or not flowing with the new technology I just see that there is still a use for physical books.  My husband said that he thinks this is a ‘laserdisc move.’  His high school (when he was in school) felt that laserdiscs were going to be big.  So in every class room on their new campus they put these machines… it failed.  Now he and I both do not think the Kindle will flop like laserdiscs but it is too soon to put your money there… no matter how much money you have.  Books have been around for hundreds of years, they are a sure thing.  Electronic readers do have a place, not to replace books, but to live along side of them.  This technology is great for text books, for people who travel regularly, for people who sit in waiting rooms a lot, even to help out with dyslexics (the Kindle can tell them what word that they are having trouble reading) and more.  BUT the book is there for power outages, for nice relaxing bubble bath reads, for the coffee drinker (and spiller), the camper (who hikes for a week or more in the wilderness without power), people who are 90 and don’t feel comfortable with new technology, babies and young children, people who get a headache looking at a screen for too long, and many more.
Here is a link on a Kindle mishap the Kindle ate my homework… eek
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/07/30/lawsuit-amazon-ate-my-homework/
Electronic readers are not bad and books are not bad.  The world can live in harmony with both.  People need books. When my book is done it will come out in both formats because I understand that some people will only read it that way.  Having books on multiple formats are good,  just like if I could have mine in audio format I would because some of my friends who commute love books on CD.
I love to turn the page, to look at the cover, to read the back, to have a bookmark, to flip ahead and read the next chapter title, to not worry about charging it, put my nose in it and get close to my new found friend… I just like books.

Please feel free to share your opinion… 🙂