I understand Kindles but I’m sorry, I need a book September 10, 2009

Kirby Lindsay

Blogger and writer, Kirby Lindsay uses Fremont branch and the virtual library and,  in the days before her blog Fremocentrist launched,  she talked with us about why she values libraries and books.   “The library saves me money. As I see books, magazines, music, and movies that I want, I think, ‘Oh good, I’ll be able to get that at the library’.” Kirby also mines the library’s subscription databases. “I wouldn’t subscribe to a database if I was only going to use it once so the library’s subscriptions allow me research options in my work. There’s an article from 1987 about the Aurora Bridge, for instance, that I have accessed.” She stops  in to check Consumer Reports when she’s researching a purchase, pops in with her nephew, and drops by to look at movies on her way to her weekly movie date with her 95 year old grandfather. Like several people we’ve talked with, Kirby uses online holds to  preview cross platform titles of interest, “Being able to go on-line to the library and say I want this, and this, and this, and having it appear on the shelf saved for me, feels like a magic trick.”

The library brings the Fremont community together. Kirby said, “Fremont gathers at its library, and yet the library serves as a calm, non-political entity in a chaotic neighborhood. The library is a draw point for the community. I go to meetings there and our library now has wheelchair access.  They have fascinating information on display from the Fremont Historical Society. They also have archives of the Outlook newspaper in print — something that modern technology can’t have. “

And about library relevance Kirby says, “I’m someone who understands Kindle but I’m sorry, I need a book. I need something to hold onto. I travel and I like to have a book I can take with me. Libraries won’t even slightly fade in relevance. As the world becomes more technology based we MUST preserve a place for the written word in a portable medium that is accessible without electricity – also a gathering place for people to meet face-to-face rather than through electronics.”

See Kirby’s writing about Fremont branch

——————————————————————————–

See what’s happening at the Fremont branch

Become a member of Friends of The Seattle Public Library

Take our 5 minute survey on library value

In defense of reading March 13, 2008

iRead…therefore iAM (in defense of reading)

A fellow board member tossed over this link from Timothy Egan’s NYTimes Opinion Piece and I thought I would share it out.

excerpt

Every now and then, someone who is brilliant says something stupid — often the result of spending too much time riding a jet stream of high praise. Steve Jobs, the co-founder and chief executive of Apple Inc., did such a thing last month when he all but declared the death of reading.

Asked about Kindle, the electronic book reader from Amazon.com, Jobs was dismissive. “It doesn’t matter how good or bad the product is,” he told John Markoff of The Times, “the fact is that people don’t read anymore. Forty percent of the people in the U.S. read one book or less last year.”

/excerpt

I echo the sentiment in the blog post that it’s unfortunate when someone so powerful, with the potential for such incredible impact on shaping trends, says something so unbelievably stupid. And also couldn’t state it more eloquently myself:

“People are eating fewer vegetables than they used to – or should – but that doesn’t mean carrots have no future. “

Brilliant.