Yesterday's paper had an article about how the library will be circulating e-readers.
Some thoughts on the circulation of e-readers... These devices are breakable. A former RPL staff member mentioned that the library loans out laptops to teens for use in the library and that even after a year of this, many of the computers were broken and had missing buttons. (Again, these laptops never left the building! What would happen to them if they did?)
RPL is purchasing 60 Kindles (vs. 10 Sony PRS-T1s). To check out a book from the library one must have an Amazon account. It is worth noting that when checking out an e-book for a Kindle, because one must log onto Amazon, what is being checked out and read is information "on" the Internet. Amazon keeps a record of this information. Library records have always been private and so privacy is compromised with the use of Kindle devices.
Finally, it is likely that like the new Playaview screens, there will be a bright orange label warning patrons that if this device is lost, stolen, or damaged the patron will be responsible to pay a replacement fee of $125 (or more?) It seems as if that may stop a person from checking one out. A person might think, "Hey, that's two weeks of groceries. I can't afford to take the risk." So how many of those Playaviews get circulated? How many e-reader devices will?
Again, we need to tell our library board that the community wants to have input on our public library and how our tax dollars are spent. The meeting is one week away. Please try to show up for next week's meeting-- Monday, February 27 at 5:30pm at the East branch library in the community room. Hope to see you there!
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