Nineteen Minutes by Jody Picoult

I just finished reading the novel “Nineteen Minutes” by Jodi Picoult. WOW! Boy, does this book start you thinking. Even though this book is fiction, the author has taken elements of several school shootings that have occurred in the last few years and wove them into a thought-provoking story. The story line weaves through all of the lives that were connected to the shooter, who had been bullied and teased at school. His torment started on his first day of Kindergarten and continued until the fateful day he decided to get even and stop the torture he had been enduring for ten years.

Who was really to blame for this life destroying act? Was it his mother who told him to be tough, his father who taught him how to use a gun, the second grade boys who threw his lunch box out the window of the bus, the boy who de-pantsed him in the cafeteria, the girl who had been his friend and then abandoned him, or does all of the blame lie with the shooter?

How many times do we go through life not realizing that one small action on our part may be contributing to a monumental event or tragedy? When we snap at our children when we’ve had a bad day, when we are rude to the sales clerk when a mistake is made, or when we ignore a plea for help? Are we going to commit the action that is the last straw? Can we make a difference to someone for the better rather than the worse?

I don’t have answers for these questions, but this book has definitely started me thinking.

How the iPod Touch is similar to the Amazon Kindle

My husband and I are complete opposites when it comes to books. I love to read and hate for anyone to read to me. My husband prefers audiobooks and loves to have someone read to him. He just can’t understand the thrill I get downloading a new bestseller to my Amazon Kindle.

This last week we purchased my husband an iPod Touch and have been downloading podcasts and music for him to listen to on the trip we are taking next week. I’m finally able to drag my (technologically challenged) husband into the 21st century (but he downloaded Old Time Radio Classics from the 1940s and 1950s, so I think we regressed by about fifty years).

Purchasing the iPod Touch has made me realize the similarities that this MP3 player has with the Amazon Kindle. With the Kindle, I can purchase and download books straight from Amazon in just a couple of minutes. With the iPod Touch, my husband can purchase and download podcasts and music straight from iTunes in just a couple of minutes. We can both search the Internet (even though the iPod Touch is way cooler with this feature). We can both listen to music with our devices.

So, I guess, my husband and I (also the Kindle and the Touch) are more alike than I thought.

Teri

Playaways vs. NetLibrary

The CSI Library has been subscribing to NetLibrary audiobooks for a few years now. They are great for patrons to download audiobooks to their MP3 player and enable them to listen while driving, jogging, or a multitude of different activities. One problem has been the complicated steps in the download procedure, it is definitely not for the technology challenged person. Also, NetLibrary audiobooks are not compatible with iPods which seems to be the most popular MP3 player on our campus.

So, to offer our patrons another avenue for audiobooks we have started purchasing Playaway units. These units are preloaded MP3 players with one book per unit. There are about the size of a deck of cards and so easy to use. They come with headphones and an extra battery. All the patron has to do is plug in the headphone and push play. You even have the option of three speeds of narration. We have about 150 different audiobooks so far and our patrons are loving them! One English class even allows students to use Playaways for book reports.

Our patrons now have two choices for audiobooks. For the techno-savy patron, we have the NetLibrary audiobooks with over a thousand choices. And for the patron who wants an easy to listen to book we have the Playaway.

Ah, isn't technology great.

The Amazon Kindle

In the library world there has been a lot of negative talking, posting, and blogging about the new e-book reader, the Amazon Kindle. In fact, I just read in Library Journal in Feedback where one library specialist says, "I just can't see long fiction being presented in such a format...that such technologies discourage extended reading." Before last February (when I received a Kindle as a gift from my husband) I was one of those people who thought that NOTHING could replace the paper book. I had always said I would never give up my books. Well, I am now eating crow over those opinions. The Kindle is great, I have already read at least 20 full-length novels from my Kindle. Amazon makes it so easy to buy books for the Kindle. Almost too easy, since you can buy books and have them downloaded with just one click. I'm now cleaning out my bookshelves and donating my books. All of the books I want to save are loaded in my Kindle. The Kindle is about the size of a paperback book, and it will hold about 200 books. If I ever fill it up I can save my books to a SD card or just delete them and Amazon will let me download them again. Amazon evens reminds you that you have already purchased a book if you try and buy it again.

My husband and I are planning on a vacation next month, I am so excited! I can take as many books as I want and they won't weigh anything at all. When we get back from our trip, I'll let you know how it works out.