Week 11 Prompt

Ebooks and audiobooks are a part of our landscape, and this has appeal for some readers, while it repels others. With ebooks, there is an ease for readers, especially voracious readers or those who are traveling, as you can store many books in one device. This is also true for audiobooks, where many books can be stored on a phone within apps such as Audible/OverDrive.
Inevitably, there will be resistance to change and those who prefer the feeling of a book in their hands. While this is true, I do not think that reading a book on a device affects knowledge of the genre, per se, but it may change someone's reading habits. Instead of perusing through a bookstore and spending time choosing a seemingly perfect title for yourself, a device will tell you what to read next based on your previous choice. While the choice is not taken away from you, of course, it can replace discussion with a friend about what they recommend.
But, it cannot be denied that ebooks are alluring in several ways. Besides excellent storage in ebooks, readers are able to change the font and color of the text. While I do not think it changes the tone of the book (that comes through in the way it is written, not on the device on which you read it), I do believe it changes the pace. As Kate Dunneback stated in her article, E-books and Readers' Advisory, ebooks often times do not show page numbers, so the reader does not know how many pages are left to read. It is not the same as having a physical book in your hands;  knowing you only have 50 pages left so you stay up late to read it because you *have* to know how it ends! When I read on my device, I have to make sure the lighting is perfect, especially when reading in bed so I do not disturb my husband. On the flip side of that, it is nice to have that option so I do not have to have a lamp on to see, illuminating the whole room. Also, perhaps because I am not terribly technologically savvy, I sometimes have a hard time keeping my place or going back to a page to reread a section. I sometimes will press something on the screen by mistake and end up getting a dictionary definition for the word "the"- these instances are what I find to be aggravating about reading on a device. One part of the ebook experience that I like on my Kindle is seeing the parts of the book that have been highlighted the most by other readers. It gives the book a sense of community for me that I do not have when reading print material.
Since I have two small children and I tend to fall asleep the second I sit down in the evening, I have done most of my reading with audiobooks; I listen in my car, when I am doing housework, or when I go for a walk. I am in full agreement with what Kaite Mediatore said in her article Reading With Your Ears- "Imagine sitting in rush hour traffic and not getting frustrated. Or walking an extra mile and not realizing it. Or folding the laundry and not feeling bored." This is the power of audiobooks. It is an efficient and easy way for me to hear books I want to read. I use the Audible app, which I find to be easy to use and I have never had a problem with it not keeping track of where I am in the story. I can pick right up where I left off (this is also true with a basic bookmark in print material!). I have listened to several lengthy books and trilogies, such as Needful Things and The Bill Hodges Trilogy, both by Stephen King. I am a huge fan of King, so this is a great way for me to stay as current with him as possible. Without listening to the audiobooks while on-the-go, it would have taken me months to get through these stories. King narrated Needful Things, which I thought was excellent. Will Patton has narrated several of Kings' books, and he is excellent; his voice is soothing and his voices and acting are perfect.
There are positive characteristics of ebooks and audiobooks, but also drawbacks. Most of this comes down to the preference of the reader. While the preference of the reader is paramount, it is also important for librarians to be able to recommend these mediums based on the needs of the patron, as well as have a basic understanding of the electronic formats on which they are used. 

Dunneback, K., & Trott, B. (2011). E-books and Readers' Advisory. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50(4), 325-9. 

Mediatore, K. (2003). Reading with Your Ears: Readers' Advisory and Audio Books. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 42(4), 318-23.