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Even in TX (where we are having budget cuts in education), e-readers are being introduced in some schools as an experiment. Instead of carrying 50 books in a bag, all you carry is a thin screen. Want to buy a book - it is available via instant download - usually at a lower price. As in the case of OP, no one "misplaces" the book you have - unless someone robs you of the tablet.
My husband follows technology law and cases. There are some issues that need to worked out regarding digital rights management. It's more like you're renting the books right now. They can be lost. For that reason (and others), I'm not keen on e-readers at present.
It's difficult for me to fathom a world without physical books. Maybe someday.
For the most part, my books stayed in the locker, and I would only take the book from the first class home--so I could do the homework while on the bus in the morning. All other homework I would do in the preceding class.
My husband follows technology law and cases. There are some issues that need to worked out regarding digital rights management. It's more like you're renting the books right now. They can be lost. For that reason (and others), I'm not keen on e-readers at present.
It's difficult for me to fathom a world without physical books. Maybe someday.
One of the groups I oversee sells software around the world - so I am keenly aware of DRM / IPR issues (fun stuff, btw). Files (books, software, etc) are generally rented and tied to a PC on standalone basis. Network access is different. e-Readers will not replace books fully - but will partially. How much, when this happens - we dont know. I do see that grampa's cupboard-full of National Geographic collection is now replaced by 6 space/tree-saving interactive dvds. Back to OP - all I was trying to point out earlier is that because of e-books some people will not be able to hide information from you - in the library or in remote areas.
Despite the fact that we live in Tennessee, our local library is actually a pretty good one. They have, of course, a very large Christian section, but they also have many philosophy books and books about other religions and atheism. They have numerous books by Dennett, Hitchens, Dawkins, and the Bible scholar Bart Ehrman. I have many, many of these books on my "to-read" list.
However, someone keeps stealing the books! Now, I can't prove who is stealing the books, obviously. But, common sense. Who would be offended by Dennett's Darwin's Dangerous Idea, Dawkin's The Devil's Chaplin or Ehrman's Lost Christianities: the Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew? Who would be offended by the documentary Banned from the Bible, a film about what books were excluded and why? And forget Sam Harris. You have to go to the university to get his books. All stolen.
It's very annoying to me. The librarian told me yesterday that they have quit ordering some books in certain departments, i.e. religions and philosophy, because they keep getting stolen. She said they even tried putting the books in the reference section, and they were still stolen. I let her know what I thought of people who acted like that, and this couple in their 70's just stared at me.
Well, that doesn't say much about the faith of the people stealing the books, now does it? How terrible. Stealing library books because you find the content offensive! I don't steal Ann Coulter books even though I find her books offensive. I don't steal Christian books even though I find some of the content offensive and potentially harmful.
Have you noticed this in your library? Do you have people systematically stealing "offensive" books from your public library?
Wow, that's about as pathetic a move as I can imagine. Make sure you pass the word around to the kids that "adults" are hiding books on evolution and philosophy from them; they'll all be reading "forbidden knowledge" in no time and fundamentalism will die the slow death.
Or you just just highlight "thou shall not steal" in every library copy of the bible you find.
Wow, that's about as pathetic a move as I can imagine. Make sure you pass the word around to the kids that "adults" are hiding books on evolution and philosophy from them; they'll all be reading "forbidden knowledge" in no time and fundamentalism will die the slow death.
Or you just just highlight "thou shall not steal" in every library copy of the bible you find.
I went to the library today, and I was shocked that The Handmaid's Tale was there - a story about radical, conservative Christians taking over the government and the negative effects on women. Really??? No one stole it??? I told the librarian I was surprised. She laughed.
Ever check the newsgroups that have all types of software that can be downloaded illegally? A frequent find would be bible software. So I'm going to assume that good christians download stolen software to read and research their "good book".
Nor does it surprise me
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