I Hate to Say It, But Told You So!

By Dr. Barrett Mosbacker

January 11, 2010

The title is a bit tongue in cheek, but I want to update you on a major trend that I believe will have a significant impact on our schools — the rapid development, growth, and acceptance of e-publishing and e-book readers. The textbook and library as we know them may disappear or, at minimum, be radically transformed.

A few months ago I wrote “Welcome to the Library. Say Goodbye to the Books,” in which I observed:

Things are changing! For many years e-books have resided in the backwaters of publishing. Early adopters and gadget enthusiasts have read them, but the vast majority of the population were either unaware of them or did not care. The lowly status of the e-book may be about to change — and radically.

Consider the latest developments.

The US Kindle catalog has surpassed 400,000 books. On Christmas Day, for the first time ever, Amazon customers purchased more Kindle books than physical books. That is significant, though it is worth noting that hundreds of thousands of new Kindle owners were opening their devices and looking for something to read. Even so, it is part of a steady accumulation of evidence suggesting not only that Amazon is dominating both the hardware and content markets of the e-book sector, but also that the e-book revolution is moving with stunning speed toward a tipping point expected no later than 2014.

In a separate statement, Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, wrote:

Our vision for Kindle is to have every book ever printed, in every language, available in 60 seconds from anywhere on earth. We have worked with publishers to get the most popular books you want to read. The Kindle Store currently has more than 390,000 titles and we are adding more every day. Whether you prefer biographies, classics, investment guides, thrillers, or sci-fi, thousands of your favorite books are available. The Kindle Store offers 101 of 112 books currently found on the New York Times® Best Seller list. New York Times Best Sellers and most new releases are $9.99, and you’ll find many books for less.

A separate news report noted:

Amazon.com said Monday that its Kindle e-reader has become the most gifted item in the company’s history. The online retail giant also noted that its customers purchased more Kindle e-books than physical books on Christmas Day — a first for the company. However, not everyone buying e-books from Amazon this holiday season will be reading them on dedicated Kindle devices. Amazon has unleashed a Kindle app for the iPhone and iPod touch that users in 60 countries can download from Apple’s App Store. Moreover, in November the online retailer released a free Kindle for PC application that enables customers to read Kindle books on notebook PCs. The new strategy makes sense in light of Forrester’s projection that e-book sales will top $500 million in 2010. “This is still small compared to the overall book market, but it’s growing quickly,” Rotman Epps observed. The potential for selling content that has never been consumed digitally before is huge, and helps to explain why Barnes & Noble recently launched its nook e-reader at the aggressive price of $259. Barnes & Noble’s long-term strategy is “to profit not so much off device sales as off of e-book content sales,” she explained.

My Personal Experience

I confess, I am now the proud owner of a Kindle 2. My wife, with wise advice from my daughters, bought me the Kindle 2 Global Edition for Christmas.

After using it for several weeks, here is my assessment: it is fantastic, and not merely because I like technology. Simply put, it is better than a physical book. Here are some of the reasons why.

• I now have access to a million — yes, a million — free books, letters, and essays that I can download in sixty seconds. That alone is enough to justify the purchase.
• Virtually all Kindle edition books are cheaper than the printed versions. For example, I purchased three volumes of a photography book for $9.99 each, paying $29.97 for all three volumes compared to the normal price of $69.99, a savings of $40, or 57 percent. Not even counting the free books, the Kindle pays for itself quickly.
• My library is full; I have no more room for books. However, I can store 1,500 books on the Kindle. When I fill it, I can archive the ones I have read on Amazon and download more. I can move books back and forth between the Kindle and Amazon, which means I will never be out of room.
• I can read books on my iPhone, my laptop, and the Kindle, and they all sync. If I read something on my iPhone and later open the same book on the Kindle, the Kindle picks up where I left off.
• My books are archived safely on Amazon’s servers. I do not have to worry about losing them if the house burns down.
• The new e-ink technology makes the Kindle read just like printed material. It is not backlit, so there is no eye strain as there is when reading on a computer monitor. It also means the battery lasts much longer.
• I can carry my entire library in my hand and read any book, essay, newspaper, magazine, or blog — any place, any time, anywhere. This is particularly convenient in waiting rooms or on planes.
• I can highlight and annotate material and access my notes, annotations, and clippings on my computer for use in articles, presentations, or for sharing with others.
• Newspaper, magazine, and blog subscriptions are downloaded to my Kindle overnight, before they are available online or on newsstands. When I get up for my morning coffee, I can have my devotions and read the news before the workday begins.
• I have free broadband 3G coverage via Sprint on the Kindle, which means I can browse the web. The browser is not exceptional, but it is serviceable.
• I can have a sample of any book or newspaper sent to my Kindle before buying, which protects me from costly purchase mistakes.
• I can search any book or my entire library by keyword.
• I have immediate, seamless access to a built-in dictionary and Wikipedia. I can look up anything without losing my place.
• I have an always-available built-in book light in my Kindle case (light and case sold separately), which is useful for reading in bed or on flights when I do not want to disturb others.

Those are just a few reasons why I prefer the Kindle. There are a few downsides as well.

• Even though the Kindle can go two weeks without recharging (with wireless off), it still requires charging. Printed books do not.
• The Kindle is a computer with software, which means there will be occasional technical issues. I have never had a technical problem with a book. :-)
• Although you can share your Kindle account with other Kindle users within limits, sharing is restricted and requires that others own a Kindle. There is no such restriction on sharing printed books.
• Some will argue that e-readers do not provide the pleasure of holding a book in one’s hands. I understand the concern, but I believe it is overstated. There is nothing particularly pleasurable about holding a paperback; and while a fine leather-bound book offers a certain pleasure, few can afford many such books. With a good leather cover, the Kindle itself feels much like holding a well-bound volume.
• A personal library is beautiful. Kindles are not. I would not want to see a room full of them. :-)

What Are the Implications for Our Schools?

• If current trends continue, textbooks, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and similar materials will migrate to electronic formats. Lower price points should save schools money.
• We may finally be able to eliminate the heavy book bags our students carry.
• Lockers may no longer be necessary.
• Curriculum can be updated more frequently — particularly important for science textbooks.
• Students and teachers could have simultaneous access to textbooks and other readings on cell phones, computers, and e-readers.
• There may be a convergence of this technology into a single handheld device. Apple and Microsoft were both rumored to be developing such devices at the time of this writing.
• Students can have access to the world’s best literature and historical documents — for free.
• We can reduce the size of our libraries, making room for additional classrooms.

What Are Your Thoughts?

Given the anticipated growth of e-books and e-readers, what are your thoughts about the implications for our schools? Would you promote the use of e-readers and e-textbooks as substitutes for printed textbooks and the traditional school library? Do you see any intrinsic advantage or disadvantage to the move toward electronic reading and publishing?