Tag Archives: print vs ebook

Selecting format: hardcopy or ebook

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Myrberg and Wiberg (2015) suggest that ebooks and print books both have advantages and disadvantages depending on the task, the preferences of the user and the technology used to access them. They suggest that readers who prefer print books, once they get used to ebooks, use them just as efficiently, but also suggest that ebooks that are born digital – ie were designed for electronic use and take advantage of the various tools such as integrated dictionaries, placing questions next to the relevant parts of the text etc, are superior to ebooks that have been converted from print to digital media with minimal changes or utilisation of the ereader’s facilities. Meanwhile, Du Temple (2020) suggests that some of the key advantages of ebooks are the anonymity of the reader – they can be accessed privately without peers or teachers knowing what has been selected – and their accessibility – they can be accessed at any time of the day or night and in almost any location. This, she argues means that teens, particularly, are more likely to explore and seek help for social-emotional or mental health issues they may be dealing with. Gray (2017) raises issues around equity of access – ebooks are only available to students whose families can afford to buy them an ereader or tablet/phone. He also discusses the problem of cross-platform access – some resources are only available on certain devices. This problem has largely been solved by apps such as Libby which allow readers to access materials from subscribed libraries regardless of the platform they use.  There are also issues around whether the library is spending its limited budget acquiring titles permanently in the collection, or just providing access for a time. What happens if that access is no longer able to be included in the annual budget?

What, then, are the implications for my primary school library? Currently my library does not provide access to any ebooks or audiobooks at all. Should they be added to the collection and in what form? I believe that both hard and softcopies are useful to different people in different ways and the ideal scenario would see all titles available in both formats. Of course, budgets do not allow for this. Perhaps this is an opportunity for student-led selection. I don’t believe that there will ever be an excuse to do away entirely with the print collection, however, I do think that ebooks could play an important part in areas of the collection that are quickly outdated such as technology, international politics and scientific advancements. Many reference materials might be included in the electronic collection, some, such as encyclopedias, in place of print copies and some, such as dictionaries and thesauruses, in addition to it. This is always assuming that the teacher librarian has included in the selection criteria for the digital materials the frequency of update available for the ebook and the pattern this takes. If a digital book automatically provides access to the most recent update when accessed by a student, this is ideal. If on the otherhand, a digital file must be checked regularly for updates and these downloaded individually, this needs to be factored in to the library staff workflow and is, from a practical perspective, unlikely to be possible.

One must consider whether it is necessary or desirable for fiction and non-fiction, and indeed junior fiction titles to be included in the digital collection. Many junior students at our school do not have the technology skills to access ebooks readily, but many older students seem much happier to read fiction than non-fiction in electronic format. I suspect that this is because linear reading styles typical of fiction books are more easily navigated on an ereader than the dip in and out style of non-fiction texts.

Another spanner in the works is the recent extraordinary times we find ourselves in. During lockdown for the Covid-19 pandemic, students are not able to access any of our library titles. If they were available in a digital collection, at least they could get some use out of them. As it is, though, the print collection sits on shelves in a deserted building, gathering dust.

 

Du Temple, T, (2020). The positive potential of ebooks within school libraries. SCIS Connections, (113). https://www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-113/the-positive-potential-of-ebooks-within-school-libraries
Gray, M. (2017). Ebooks: To subscribe, or not to subscribe? SCIS Connections (101). https://www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-101/ebooks-to-subscribe-or-not-to-subscribe
Myrberg, C., & Wiberg, N. (2015). Screen vs. paper: what is the difference for reading and learning?. Insights, 28(2), 49–54. DOI: http://doi.org/10.1629/uksg.236

ETL402 Module 1.1

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This module has been all about defining what is meant by “Children’s literature” and discussing the history and development of both literature and childhood. It has focused predominantly on Western culture and the English speaking world. In so many parts of society today, we lament the loss of childhood; see our children growing up too fast, yet childhood, certainly as we know it, is a relatively new idea. In relatively recent times children had little access to literature that was written with them specifically in mind. That literature that was available written specifically for children was predominantly instructive. The idea that children should read instructive texts, come away from reading somewhat improved has not gone away. Many texts are written with the goal of exploring a particular social issue or instructing children on proper ways to behave or helpful ways to think. The historical focus on religion may have shifted more into the political sphere, but much of the literature available and targeted to children (movie tie-ins not withstanding) can be a little preach-y. ConsidCover of "The all new must have orange 430. A cartoon boy holds up a useless, unrecognisable object. His cat looks disdainfully at it. er “The All New Must Have OranThe cover of "enemy pie". A cartoon boy sits atop a latice work pie top. Leaves, caterpillars and bugs are crawling in the piege 430″ by Michael Speechley – an exploration of the dangers of consumerism. Or “A Bad Case of the Stripes” by David Shannon (be yourself) , “Enemy Pie” by  Derek Munson (kindness is desirable), “The cover of "Tilly". A young girl sits on a step in a doorway looking wistfully out of a windowTilly” by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker (things – or people – who are lost to us can be kept alive in our hearts and memories). A great many books for children are written as instructive, improving or persuasive texts. Many are explorations of societal norms, problems or issues. Books written for adults do not miss out on this treatment either, and neither they should. While the improving aspects of children’s literature may be less direct than perhaps it was in the past, it is still an important feature of all literature – it explores the nature and development and state of being of us.

What, then, of the future of literature for children? What will it look like in 5, 10 or 20 years and who will be the drivers of change? The publishing industry in America has already been subject to corporate interference. What is published is what sells. If something does well, more of that will be published. Independent publishers are less and less common, and taking a chance on a new author is just that – quite a big chance. Every day readers have the opportunity to influence the industry very little. However, where independent publishers abound, readers themselves can influence what is published by buying (or demanding their libraries buy) the books they want to read. This can, in turn be influenced by social media reviews such as Goodreads. We may think that electronic formats will be increasingly popular, however it seems that there are still some groups of people and types of texts that prefer the hardcopy. Could it be that there may be an increasing prevalence of ebooks for fiction and hardcopies for non-fiction? Perhaps multi-modal texts will have their time in the sun? Perhaps new technologies will come along that allow readers to view and experience their literature in entirely new ways. I would be interested in a device that used augmented reality goggles to add to the experience of a hardcopy book – such that both the ebook and hardcopy can be viewed independently, but when combined, they offer additional features. As we have seen with app based literature, the additions made by the technology need to add to the reader’s experience of the printed version rather than simply replicate it in order to be most successful. What and exciting and dynamic time to be involved in the world of literature!