From: Steward, Celeste <csteward_at_aclibrary.org>
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:55:51 -0700

Are e-books changing the way children and teens are reading?

Absolutely! Although, I don't think we've seen the last of those changes.

Here are a few of my recent observations as a professional:

Picture books and easy readers on our Overdrive e-book service are circulat ing constantly, many have holds

Children's chapter books are flying off the digital book shelves

In the last year or so, I'm hearing from staff saying the shelves are overf lowing--too many books and books on CD--it makes me wonder if people are sp litting their reading between print and digital?

A fair number of requests I receive from children/teens come from social me dia sites for readers, such as Goodreads, etc.

I'm seeing an increasing number of requests for self-published books, from sites such as Smashwords, etc.

I'm seeing many more requests from online sources and more pre-pub (6-8 mon ths in advance) requests from kids as well--this leads me to believe they a re doing some of their reading electronically.

Some personal observations:

I've seen very young children holding and using tablets, reading enhanced p icture books or using apps--I don't find this threatening, but I did have a conversation with a colleague about its effect on kids' imaginations...

I bought a Kindle Fire and constantly find it in my children's rooms...they like the versatility of being able to move between books, games and videos . Consequently, my eldest daughter (a college freshman) took the Kindle int o her dorm. It's a TV for her but also, she can download a required reading book easily should it be unavailable in the school library.

Oddly enough, both my 16-year old and 18-year old prefer print books when r eading for fun. :)

However, I do not know how children who are in Kindergarten now will view e -reading in 10 years.

An increasing number of my children's friends have some type of tablet or s mart phone device, regardless of the family's economic status

Personally, I think e-readers will be replaced by tablets, it's already hap pening...

Celeste Steward, Librarian IV Collection Development Alameda County Library Fremont, CA
________________________________________

From: Megan Schliesman
 Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2012 7:07 AM To: ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu Subject:
 Technology and the Book

Let's start our discussion for the first part of September: Technology and the Book. Although perhaps a better title would be Technology and Books and Their Readers. We're curious: Are e-books changing the way children and te ens are reading? Are they changing what children and teens are reading? Loo king at and beyond the critical issue of access across the digital divide, we want to know what you see kids doing with and saying about e-books, and what impact you think (fear? hope?) e-books will have on children’s and young adult literature and publishing. What are your e-book (and other digi tal format) stories?

Megan

-- Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 N. Park Street, Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706

608-262-9503 608-262-4933 (fax)

schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu

www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/

---

Received on Fri 07 Sep 2012 01:55:51 PM CDT