Toaster Tuesday (006)
Toaster Tuesday is a series of posts about ereaders, specifically my experiences as a new Nook owner. The concept was partially inspired by a show called Battlestar Galactica. Basically the antagonists in the story are the Cylons, who are robots. The humans like to call them Toasters. I figured since there is a dichotomy between organic and electronic in the book world as well, I’d play with the idea and (affectionately) refer to my Nook as a Toaster. (Her real name is Ariadne, though, thank you very much.)
That’s me hanging with Ariadne, Homer, and the Gutenberg Bible at the Huntington Library.
A small field trip to the Huntington Library in San Marino with some fellow MFAs and friends made me think about book-ish things. For one, I couldn’t pass up the photo op you can see above. (Nook vs. Gutenberg Bible… WHO WINS?!) For another, where does history go when it’s all electronic?
For all of the positive aspects of owning an ereader, I think that old cliche of a strength also being a weakness applies here. Let’s be honest. You guys see how many paper books I deal with in real life from my Beg, Borrow, and Steal posts. And those posts don’t include what I deal with when I’m working in the library. So obviously I am invested in the paper side of the publishing industry. Yet I’m not shy about loving on my Nook for the ease of reading, convenience in purchasing, selection, and the ability to carry my whole library with me in the palm of my hand.
But when it comes right down to it, I can’t let go of paper books. I want the beautiful covers, the physical presence, the ability to see a personalized inscription and autograph on the title page. And of course that book smell we all love. When I look at old texts like the Gutenberg Bible, I wonder how people are going to be able to look back at certain texts of our day centuries or even decades from now. With everything digitized, will they see history? The original manuscript? Or will it just be a few megabytes on a flash drive somewhere?
How do you put that kind of thing on display and have the same aura and power and grace as the Gutenberg Bible?
It’s just not the same. Which is why even though my Nook is a winner and I still love it, I will never stop supporting the physical book industry. We need books and bookstores and libraries to take up space, even if it’s a hassle that they take up space. Paper trails are far more interesting than electronic ones. At least, I think so. I want to have my own physical library, even if I already have one on my Nook.
So this week organic gained some points and electronic is holding steady. We’ll see how the next round goes!
Toaster Tuesday (005)
Wow, so it’s been a while since I’ve done a Toaster Tuesday! Many apologies, but hopefully I’ll be on task now that I’m (sort of) getting used to my new school schedule.
Toaster Tuesday is a series of posts about ereaders, specifically my experiences as a new Nook owner. The concept was partially inspired by a show called Battlestar Galactica. Basically the antagonists in the story are the Cylons, who are robots. The humans like to call them Toasters. I figured since there is a dichotomy between organic and electronic in the book world as well, I’d play with the idea and (affectionately) refer to my Nook as a Toaster. (Her real name is Ariadne, though, thank you very much.)
That’s me hanging with Audrey Hepburn and the Bronte sisters in my friend’s cubicle.
Today’s brief post highlights a neat advantage to owning my Nook. It ties directly into my life as a graduate student, especially as someone who studies Creative Writing. You see, sometimes the need arises to get my hands on a book immediately for reading or reference. This happened to me just the other day, and after checking the university library and my usual library systems, and realizing that I didn’t have time to trek to farther libraries or wait to have a book delivered, I made the decision to purchase the book I needed. But purchasing a paper copy would still cost me in time–even with Amazon’s miraculous two-day shipping for students, that’s two days lost. After feeling despondent that I wouldn’t be able to get my hands on the book in time, I remembered that I had my Nook on me and decided on a whim to see if the book was available through the online store. In fact, it was. So after a couple of clicks, I had the book I needed without even having to leave my seat.
Sure, it cost me in money, but you all know I’m not shy about adding to my collection. It was an investment, and I have the book in a format that makes reading easier for me, and I am now at an advantage (I hope) in my academic career. I’d say it was well worth it.
So another point goes to the Nook and Barnes and Noble’s huge selection!
Toaster Tuesday (004) with a touch of Library Post…
Toaster Tuesday is a series of posts about e-readers, specifically my experiences as a new Nook owner. The concept was partially inspired by a show called Battlestar Galactica. Basically the antagonists in the story are the Cylons, who are robots. The humans like to call them Toasters. I figured since there is a dichotomy between organic and electronic in the book world as well, I’d play with the idea and (affectionately) refer to my Nook as a Toaster. (Her real name is Ariadne, though, thank you very much.)
Me hanging with Walt Whitman at Panera Bread. Yum yum!
Back when I used to hate on ereaders, one of the arguments that kept me from purchasing one was price. Not of the ereader itself, but of the files I’d be downloading and reading. I felt that for the price of a physical book–all that paper, the text on it, the actual story–whenever I found deals, the books were worth the money. Compared to some of the prices I’ve seen for ebooks (more than $10 for an ebook!!), I was really skeptical about paying the same or more for a few megabytes of data. That I would never physically hold.
I still turn my nose up at higher end ebooks (unless I’m desperate). I often go for the ones that are free or only a few dollars. But the gold mine of ebooks wasn’t just those classics free from Project Gutenberg. It was in my local libraries. You see, a lot of libraries have been keeping up with the times as best they can. This doesn’t just include computer upgrades, it also extends to their collections.
The Long Beach Public Library, Los Angeles Public Library, Orange County Public Library, and County of Los Angeles Public Library all have ebook collections that can be accessed online. (Yes, I’m a patron of all those libraries. 
) Now, their selections vary and they don’t have as many ebooks as physical books available, but there’s still a good chance of finding something to read. If you’re wary about ebook prices but are still interested in an ereader, check out the local libraries and see if they offer an ebook collection. Usually the ebooks can be “borrowed” for two weeks. If your time runs out and no one else is waiting for it, you can “borrow” the ebook again. It’s quite simple. The files can be downloaded to your computer, then uploaded to your device. That’s how it works with my Nook, anyway.
You’re probably wondering when I’m going to talk about all of those ebooks I get from LibraryThing, or the other ebooks I’ve received for review. Well, I’m saving that for another post. 
The other way to read ebooks not readily available at the library or for free from the Barnes & Noble e-store is to simply go to your local Barnes & Noble. You get an hour of free reading on your Nook everyday in-store. If you’re a fast reader (unlike me) it’s a great deal for you. Even if you’re not fast, sometimes you can read more than the often short ebook samples allow in a day’s hour. It’s not as convenient, sure, but for free, it’s a pretty good deal.
There’s also a lending feature on the Nook that I’d like to talk about, but I don’t actually know enough to write about it yet. But I will someday!
Now you see why this post had a touch of library post in it. What can I say, I love libraries AND I love my Nook! I get ecstatic when I can combine my affections for the two!
Toaster Tuesday (003)
Baaaaarely squeaking in on Tuesday here, but I made it! You can’t say I didn’t, haha! Okay, so this here is Toaster Tuesday if you’re new to the blog…
Toaster Tuesday is a series of posts about e-readers, specifically my experiences as a new Nook owner. The concept was partially inspired by a show called Battlestar Galactica. Basically the antagonists in the story are the Cylons, who are robots. The humans like to call them Toasters. I figured since there is a dichotomy between organic and electronic in the book world as well, I’d play with the idea and (affectionately) refer to my Nook as a Toaster. (Her real name is Ariadne, though, thank you very much.)
That’s me hanging with Edgar Allan Poe in Barnes & Noble. Ariadne’s mother ship!
Okay, last week I let Mr. Brick and Miss Mortar win the argument. But this week I’m going to talk about a reason why my Nook and other e-readers are made of win.
So, you’re (or, more likely I am) sitting waiting for a doctor’s appointment, or you’re out hanging at your favorite library, or maybe just chowing down at In-n-Out or wherever. (Mm… In-n-Out…) And you have your Nook with you. Well, what if you’re not in the mood to read the historical suspense thriller you were reading last night? Or what if you really want to check out that other book you bought on a whim because it was only 99 hot cents? (Okay, we’re really just talking about me now, aren’t we?)
No problemo! It’s right there on your Nook, waiting to be read! All of the ebooks you’ve purchased and downloaded to your device are available for your perusal as long as your battery’s charged. If you’ve already downloaded it, no wi-fi connection necessary!
Or maybe you’re writer like I am. Ever wanted to be able to carry your works-in-progress with you without having to deal with shuffling pages, the threat of paper cuts, or somehow losing that goldmine of ideas? Well, just convert your files to the correct format and you can read your own work on the device just as if it were any other ebook. You can even still highlight passages and make bookmarks and leave comments attached to the file on the device!
Total truth: I do have my own work stored on my ereader. For just one of my personal files, that’s over 200 pages of my writing in a nice, compact package in case I need a refresher on what I wrote previously. Heck, I even have my friend’s work stored on my ereader because my life has been so hectic these days, I want to be able to pull it up when I find a few seconds to spare.
It’s really easy to arrange, too. The Nook does read PDF files, but I find using the cool program called calibre helps with formatting a Nook-compatible epub file so that the text doesn’t get all wonky when I try to change font sizes. I even chose my own cover images for my works, because I am dorky like that.
So that’s another reason I fell and fell hard for the Nook. It’s just so.. convenient. It will never take the place of a physical book in my hands, but it’s pretty darn handy, gotta say.
Toaster Tuesday (002)
Toaster Tuesday is a series of posts about e-readers, specifically my experiences as a new Nook owner. The concept was partially inspired by a show called Battlestar Galactica. Basically the antagonists in the story are the Cylons, who are robots. The humans like to call them Toasters. I figured since there is a dichotomy between organic and electronic in the book world as well, I’d play with the idea and (affectionately) refer to my Nook as a Toaster. (Her real name is Ariadne, though, thank you very much.)
That’s me at work hanging with our stick bugs (in the tank) and Kurt Vonnegut (on my Nook).
So, it’s time for another TT! There is much going on at The Library Page’s abode thanks to harrowing events last week, but there are still a few minutes to post. So here I go!
Despite what was pretty much a love letter to my Nook two weeks ago, there are some things bookstores give me that the Nook store will never be able to do. At least, not the latest one. Maybe in fifty years it’ll have holographic whatchamacallits and whoosits, but for now, this one issue is a reason I will always have a love for brick and mortar bookstores…
I’m going to call it… selection.
On the plus side, the Nook has a ridiculously huge selection, all at your fingertips, ready to be browsed or to be narrowed down by keyword, title, author, etc. That’s great… if you know what you’re looking for. When I wanted to look through the selection of “teen fantasy” titles, I typed that into the search option and I got thousands of hits. And I didn’t have any way to narrow that number down because I just wanted to browse. The nice thing is it has an option to organize the items by price, title, release date, and such. So I organized by price and started with free purchases and worked my way up. That took… at least a week. It was very challenging because I could only view six titles per page and kept losing my place in the list and kept having to start over. Naturally, there are titles that aren’t available as physical books, which is a plus for those with an e-reader. But I’ve gotta say, there could be some improvement in being able to browse books on the Nook. I even went to a Barnes and asked one of the booksellers in person if there was a better way to go about browsing, and he couldn’t come up with anything.
Even though the physical bookstore houses less books than there are in the electronic store, I think Mr. Brick and Miss Mortar win this round because when I walk into a bookstore, I know where to go to find books at a certain price range (bargain books under $5! Yeah!). I know where to go if I want certain types of books (YA section, ftw!). And I can immediately judge those books by their covers (I do it! And I’m not ashamed) and I can pick them up, flip through them, read their back cover copy and really make a connection with the reading experience I’m looking for. I love the ease and comfort of e-reading, but sometimes it’s so rewarding to find a great read for $5 in mint condition hardcover. Sigh. Sorry, I just had a moment of remembered bliss.
So, I still love my Nook, but after going through thousands of titles, I’m not going to do much browsing on it any time soon. Heaven knows I have enough titles on my to-read list anyway. Luckily I just picked up my Los Angeles Public Library card about two weeks ago and I now have access to a well-stocked ebook library… Mwahahaha!
Oh, and by the way, most of the stick bugs in my library just hatched in the past week. So, happy birthday(s) stick bugs! There is one adult stick bug left to look after the little’uns, so they hatched just in time. There were eight babies last we counted, and there are tons of eggs left in the tank. Come on, babies! Hatch!
Any opinions on the matter either way? Questions, comments? Feel free to drop a line. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway!
Toaster Tuesday (001)
Current Nook Book: The Magicians by Lev Grossman
So I’ve been sitting on this idea for a series of posts for some time. I suppose the best way to start things off is to explain…
Way back in June I got a Nook for my birthday. Now, I wasn’t exactly an enthusiast when the first ereaders came out. In fact, I was a huge skeptic even when I saw the Nook Color for the first time. But then I tried using it. And then I went back to use it… And I kept going back. I actually formulated a plan to get as many discounts as possible so I could get one into my possession for as little cost as necessary. But I got over it. Basically the features I was interested in were things I could do on my laptop or on a smartphone. I still wasn’t interested in having a device on which I could read digital books. So I swallowed the urge to buy one.
Then the Nook Simple Touch Edition came out… and I started drooling again… and my friend sent me this gift…
That’s me chillin’ at home with Joseph Conrad on my Nook. =)
And I love paper books. You guys know from my Beg, Borrow, & Steal posts how much I love paper books. For a long time I hated ereaders just for the fact that they were taking business away from paper books. But…
I LOVE IT.
I love reading on my Nook. It just seems so much… easier. Or something. I don’t know, it didn’t take any adjusting to get used to it. I love the fact that I can read without holding a book open with my hands. Tapping the touch screen to turn the page doesn’t seem awkward at all. And being able to adjust the font size is really helpful too. And last, but not least, sometimes ebooks are shorter than their paper counterparts. Literally. (See what I did there?) Often it’s not a huge difference as the content is the same, but even in the reading experience, I feel like I’m reading just a little bit faster.
That isn’t even commenting on the compact size, the light weight, the clear text, and the lovely ability to download books instantaneously when I want them. And I cannot say how thankful I am to have a convenient way to read files from NetGalley and other free downloads.
So, yes, I’m a convert. But there are still downsides, and I still buy and read paper books as well. As is my nature, I’m divided and yet whole.
But back to the point of the post. I was explaining why this series of posts will exist. Well. I decided that since I’m a new ereader convert, I’m going to explore the ereader experience. So every couple of weeks I’m going to be chronicling my adventures with my Nook and hopefully discuss topics related to or aspects of the Nook itself in short(er) posts. I will at times do comparisons between the paper book experience and the ereader experience. (And at times the paper books will win the day!)
But, you may be asking, what the heck does any of this have to do with toasters?
Well, I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of a show called Battlestar Galactica. My friend, Lexie, got me into it (no spoilers! I haven’t watched the fourth season yet!). I love it to pieces. It’s amazing. And basically the antagonistic force is the Cylons, who are robots. The humans like to call them Toasters. I figured since there is a dichotomy between organic and electronic in the book world as well, I’d play with the idea and (affectionately) refer to my Nook as a Toaster. (Her real name is Ariadne, though, thank you very much.)
I would love to get feedback on these posts, whatever your opinions on ereaders (or Battlestar Galactica… or whatever). We can discuss pros and cons, you can try to sway me from the dark side, or if you have a Kindle or other device, I’d love to hear how your experiences are similar or different. If you have similar posts on your blogs, I’d love to link to them to keep the discussion(s) going.
So, that’s my inaugural Toaster Tuesday post! Ariadne is preening in a corner right now, fully charged. Time to get some errands done, then more reading. Woohoo!
