Thing 20 - eBooks

For this Thing you will explore eBooks. The emergence of eBooks (electronic books) has demonstrated that the format in which information is delivered is shifting. Electronic access has many advantages including speed, convenience and full-text searchability. In the area of education and research, publishers are producing electronic versions of pricey textbooks and reference sets that have the added benefit of not requiring storage space or using environmental resources to produce thick volumes that need updating and replacement almost as soon as they are put on the shelf. The replacement of reference volumes with online databases allows many students to simultaneously search and retrieve information within seconds. In addition, recreational reading is seeing a boom in the numbers and types of eReader devices such as the Kindle, Nook and iPad which allow us to download books into one small portable location without leaving home. Many are even available as apps for your mobile phone! Websites such as Amazon and Google offer free previews of books, so that readers can sample before they purchase. The possibilities for eBooks is vast, and the rate of development at this point is rapid, making this evolving area one to keep an eye on.
___________________________________________________

To complete Thing 20 you must:
A. Explore Internet sources for eBooks
B. Explore the NHS eBook collection
C. Reflect on your eBook/audiobook experience
___________________________________________________

A. Explore Internet sources for eBooks

Start with FriedBeef's "Best Places to Get Free Books"

For digitized original classics, try the British Library Online Gallery. An audio feature allows a visitor to have the book read aloud. Don't miss the original version of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures Under Ground. Mozart's Musical Diary includes 75 audio excerpts. Take the tour and encourage your students and colleagues to do so too! This resource is AMAZING.

For previews and peeks inside, try Google Books. You can even keep track with a personal bookshelf.

B. Explore the NHS eBook collection

In keeping with the shift to the digitization of information, Newington High School now has access to hundreds of eBooks. Many large companies have turned their reference collections into cross-searchable databases which allow users to easily, simultaneously and remotely access information. Marshall Cavendish, Salem Press, Sharpe Reference and Gale Virtual Reference Library are the databases through which many of our eBooks can be accessed. For this Thing, access the NHS catalog and take a look at some of our eBook offerings to see how and where they might be used with your students.

Remember, you will need to have the password information handy in order to access the NHS eBooks. (This information was emailed to you when you started this program). Take some time now to explore the world of NHS eBooks.

C. Reflect on your eBook experience.

This format is still in its infancy stages, but has implications for the future of education. Talk about what you found in your exploration of eBooks, the sites you visited and what each had to offer. Similarities? Differences? Share your experience with the NHS eBook collection. How could you use eBooks with your students?