After months of debating which eReader to buy, I finally decided to go with the new Simple Touch Reader Nook from Barnes & Noble. The reviews so far have been overwhelmingly positive, with sites like CNET & PC Magazine naming it a top pick. It features a featherweight ergonomic design, amazing battery life, and e-ink technology. I personally prefer it to the Nook Color because I find the Nook Color’s LCD screen a bit harder on the eyes for extended reading. The new Simple Touch Nook doesn’t have the bells and whistles of an iPad or other tablet computer, but if you’re looking for something simple, fairly affordable, and hassle-free to use just for reading books, then this Nook might be for you.

Check out some great Nook-specific instructions on how to get started with SJPL’s OverDrive eBook collection, or visit OverDrive's help page. I’m having a great time so far with the many titles available for download. It’s exciting to be able to continue to use the many great (and free!) resources that the library has to offer, but in a brand new way.  

I recently had a conversation with a colleague in which we agreed that movies based on books, no matter how good, are virtually never as good as the book itself. However, I've become a big fan of audiobooks, and I believe that many audiobooks are as good or even better that the print version of the book. Listening to books instead of reading them has obvious benefits for people who have a vision impairment or who want to enjoy a book while driving, walking, or exercising. But beyond that, some books seem especially cut out for the audio format because there are multiple narrators, each of whom can be supplied with a distinct voice. A well-read (acted?) audiobook can add intonation, accents, and other elements that enrich the story. Case in point: The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

Set in the early 60s during the civil rights era in Jackson, Mississippi, the book is told through the viewpoints of two black maids and a young white woman who wishes to write a chronicle of the maids' stories. Listening to the book, I find it hard to imagine that I could enjoy it any more in print format (although, with the book's bestseller status, the print version is doing just fine, thank you). Another book I found particularly suited to audio format is The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger -- again, because the book is told from the standpoint of more than one narrator. San José Public Library has an increasing number of audio options available to customers. In addition to books on CD, you can download audiobooks with your library card via Overdrive, MyiLibrary, and NetLibrary. I was able to download The Help from Overdrive with no waiting, and transferred it to my iPod. I'm looking forward to the movie scheduled for release in August... but I doubt it will be as good as the (audio)book!

With summer vacation quickly approaching and travel plans getting made my curiosity was piqued by the premise of Seth Stevenson’s book Grounded: A Down to Earth Journey Around the World. This electronic book available through Overdrive, tracks his effort to travel around the world without ever stepping foot on an airplane. The means by which he accomplishes this feat is both ingenious and amusing. The author a freelance travel writer provides humorous descriptions about all he encounters while philosophizing about how traveling should not just be about the destination but how you get there.

Check out other articles written by Seth Stevenson through our EBSCO host database. 

A change in service - you now get two downloads per week now with Freegal. Freegal is a music download service that gives you MP3s without any digital rights management so you can transfer them to devices, or even burn them to CDs. These songs never expire!