Exercise 1
WaldenBooks--yes- http://www.borders.com -A chain bookstore. Typical website, busy, cool "shelf" search. Colorful.
Family Christian Bookstore-yes- http://www.familychristian.com --A chain bookstore. Typical website, somewhat busy, easy to search for items.
Barnes and Noble-- yes- http://www.barnesandnoble.com -- A chain bookstore. Typical website. Busy, sectioned out, searchable.
Exercise 2
I chose Tamora Pierce's Woman who Rides Like A Man. It is available from Barnes and Noble's website (6.99 for a paperback, and 11.99 for a hardback) I found an audiobook version available at Hcpl.net
Exercise 3
I tried to download an eBook from the hcpl.net site, but it wanted me to download an Adobe edition. (I wound up just looking for an online edition of the book.) I found one copy of RObinson Crusoe at www.online.library.upenn.edu I chose one : HTML at Virginia. I have a hard time with reading materials on the computer screen. After a while my eyes are tired and I have trouble focusing on the screen. I find it also difficult to find a position where I am comfortable for long periods of time and I just can't shift around as easily while I am using my computer as I can with a printed book.
That's not to say that there aren't advatages to having a digital reader or eBook. The fact that you can store hundreds and thousands of books in a relatively small samout of space is a definite factor. Being able to access any book you have stored or can download to a portable device is wonderful. There are limited titles, however, though this won't be the case for long. Physical constraints are a minor drawback, as is the specialized software that may be called for with some formats. But the biggest concern for me, being in a part of the country where hurricanes can wipe out power for weeks, is that without electricity, you only have so long before you can't access your portable device.
Printed copies have their ups and downs too. Space and cost constraints can limit the storage and puchase of printed editions. Pages can tear, yellow or even burn. Printed copies are only as portable as what you can carry them in, so not as many can be carried at a time, thus limiting access to the titles you possess. There is something, though, to being able to turn the page, to go foward and back in the story that I prefer to reading online (where, yes, you can scroll up and down and back page.). I prefer to read where I am comfortable and sometimes that is too difficult when I have to consider my laptop. (I don't have one of those fancy readers.) I also like to read at the beach and the pool, so books have a definite advantage because I just can't bring myself to risk an expensive device to water or theft.
So while digitization has its benefits, I think I am going to stick to print.
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