Drone Delivery of Hardcopy Books--Wha?

[TromboneAl]

I saw this news story last night, talking about delivering library books by drone:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=930862824100520

I felt as if I were on another planet--a planet on which eBooks didn't exist. There was no mention of ebooks or of how much easier it would have been for a kid to download a book to his/her phone. Ironically, the book the kid gets is available in my online library.

Can someone explain why anyone would consider disinfecting one book, packing it up, putting it on a drone, and dropping it off, then having to get it back, instead of just emailing an eBook?

I get that some people prefer the "feel" of paper books, but kids usually prefer tablets

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[Ann in Arlington]

Actually, a lot of kids like paper books. A lot are happy with tablet reading as well, but tablets are often not preferred by parents because they offer so much in the way of distraction.

As to why? Because they can.

Whatever.

[Linjeakel]

While to we more practical adults it might seem less convenient than downloading a book to a reader, I can imagine kids - like the one being interviewed - getting quite excited about the novelty of getting a drone delivery.

Anything that encourages them to get involved and inspires them to read can only be a good thing.

[barryem]

I suspect a lot of "practical" adults will enjoy this when it's available to them.  Several readers in my retirement home over the years have refused to try ebooks even when I offered to loan them one on a Kindle to let them try it out.  They want paper books.  Or,  more accurately, they're afraid they'll get confused by a Kindle and showing them how easy it is doesn't help.

Quit a few have begun reading on Kindles but almost as many have stuck happily with their paper books.  Really I don't care much.  People should read in whatever way they choose.

Barry

[Elk]

And not every child has a smartphone, tablet, etc.

[barryem]

I hadn't really thought of that till you mentioned smartphones.  I tried to recall how many of those who refused to try a Kindle have a smartphone.  We have a lot of smart phone users but also a lot of flip phone users.  I can't really recall which ones resisted Kindles more but I do remember there were at least a couple of smartphone users who wouldn't try a Kindle.

Barry

[Fogeydc]

I'm with Linjeakel -- whatever will get kids to actually *read*.

And, within some limits, whatever they *will* read.
Reading is one of the most important life-skills there is, and can take a reader in so many directions over a lifetime.
If she wants superheroes & he wants family-stories books, I certainly wouldn't discourage them.

Also, kids' picture-books (or grown-up books w/ lots of illustrations a.k.a. "pictures") just aren't the same when e-books -- somehow it just isn't the same experience as turning real (physical) pages back & forth as you go through the story.

[barryem]

I remember when there were a lot of discussions in forums over whether listening to audiobooks was equal to reading a book and the most convincing argument was usually that it was a different experience.  At that time I had cataracts and due to a childhood injury they were reluctant to operate till it got really bad so for a number of years I had to reserve the limited time I could read for work related stuff, so I listened to a lot of audiobooks.  I did read a few books and I made it a point to listen to and read some of the same books near each other to give myself some perspective on the experience issue.

I decided that it was true that it was a different experience but that I wasn't able to infer anything about quality from that.  Either was a good way to take in a book.  Walking to the store is a different experience than driving to the store or riding my bike to the store but they all get me to the store.

I suspect that's all true in most cases with respect to ebooks and print books, although probably to a lesser extent.  It's a somewhat different experience but you do experience the book either way.  Books are about ideas; about content, not about the nature of the medium.  The medium is just what gets us there.

Barry

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