To e-Book or not to e-Book

This is possibly the most controversial question being asked right now in the publishing industry: Should you, as a book lover, begin the foray into the seemingly convenient and relatively inexpensive digital reading world with e-books and e-readers? Or is this new technology all but destroying the publishing world and brick and mortar stores?

In the April 26th issue of The New Yorker, Ken Auletta writes about e-books and questions what the advent of the iPad means for publishers in his column Annals of Communication. Auletta's article, Publish or Perish, discusses the process involved in publishing a book and where each dollar amount from a book sale actually goes. For those who are passionate about books and technology or even for those who simply want to know more about publishing, Auletta's article is a must-read.

An interview with Ken Auletta also aired on this morning on NPR's Fresh Air radio show, hosted by Terry Gross. Audio for the interview will be available today at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Update: A very conscientious follower of this blog asked when Arlington Public Library will begin offering e-books. The answer is: we already do! More and more of you are becoming familiar with our downloadable audiobooks, which is made possible with the OverDrive software (free to download!). There are currently about 200 e-books available through the Arlington Public Library's OverDrive account. Click the link above for more information.