E-book funding

Dear Editor:I recently participated in the Downey City Library Kindle (e-book reader) pilot program. The library loaned Kindles for a 3-week period. This was an excellent opportunity to determine if a Kindle was something I would use and have a choice of many books to read on one device. On the Internet I learned that some libraries actually loan e-books. When they are downloaded to the borrower's e-reader, there is a date stamp attached to the e-book and when that date arrives, the book disappears from the e-reader. The e-book can then be loaned to someone else just like a regular library book. Unfortunately, Downey isn't among the libraries currently providing this service. It would be nice if the Downey Library could do that to help to keep current with the change in how people are reading. Downey's motto used to be, "Downey: Future Unlimited" and e-books aren't future, they are now. I hope the library and City Council will give serious consideration to providing funding for e-books, not just hardcover and paperback books. Hardcover and paperback books get damaged and require someone to repair them. Each book has to be covered prior to being made available for loan to the public. An e-book won't be damaged, it won't require preparation to be loaned, it will never be returned late and it won't be stolen. E-books are less expensive to purchase and don't take any space on book shelves. E-books won't require a library employee to check them in or return them to the book shelves, freeing up time to assist elsewhere in the library. Please give consideration to providing funding to help keep our library relevant to our city. -- Carol Hanson, Downey

********** Published: February 16, 2012 - Volume 10 - Issue 44