This post is from my “Archives of Incomplete Thoughts” but I wanted to share them with you all…
I have been pondering for a while the use of the eBooks (and specifically the Kindle) in Academia. Ever since I considered purchasing my first eReader (the Sony eReader 505) I have found the convenience of having several books at my finger tips, without weighing me down, to be the most obvious benefit. That said, I believe there are many others, and some which can result in the elusive “win-win” situations for producers and consumers alike.
- Affordability of textbooks
- Desk Reference/Review copies
- Physical size/weight relief
- notetaking and highlighting
Need to rethink old views:
- why see “a page”?
- how do I “flip” through a book?
- what is the focus/purpose of an “illustration”?
- are there other ways to “illustrate”?
- How do we do “citations?”
Challenges:
- How to compare two separated pages (i.e., pages 57, and 106) (side by side?)
Issues I want to see if they have added/changed:
- Highlighting: does the menu appear next to where I clicked? How is that interface changed?
- can we move/sync highlights/notes between devices?
Have you given much thought to the changes we can see with Digital Textbooks? What are your thoughts? Please share them in the comments.
Makes me wonder with this artist, perhaps it will some day be true: http://www.thebookofbiff.com/2009/12/28/925-thin/ Electronic book marks.
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