3 Generations of (E-)Readers

Hi there. How are you feeling? I only ask because I just finished the BK Staff CPR Certification course, so I am officially qualified to save your life. Or, at least, more likely to give it a try. So, just give me a shout or a hand signal if need be.

Moving on: Happy Post-Mother's Day! I hope you all had a nice time with family and friends. I was lucky enough to take a trip down to Los Angeles, where I spent the holiday with my parents and my 99-year-old grandmother. Yes, 99, you did read that right...and she is a pistol. While I was home some interesting technological developments took place. After many months of frustration with an almost-defunct cellular phone, I finally entered the world of The Smart Phone.

Given my positive experience with the iPod Touch and its various apps, I made a smooth transition to my new iPhone. In addition to having a phone, camera, and amazing 3G capability, I was happy to learn that I could easily transfer all of my music and, most importantly, my growing collection of iBooks. An avid BART/bus reader, I first started e-reading on my iPod Touch, and found myself quickly adapting to the device. Having always been vocal about my love for the tactile sensation and smell of a 'real' book, it took me awhile to make the transition to e-reading, but eventually did so for reasons of access and practicality. Not only is a reading device lighter and more portable than a book (let alone many books), but I'm able to buy and begin reading books more immediately than I could if I relegated my shopping to 'real' bookstores. (Note: I still read plenty of print books and am an adamant supporter of local and independent booksellers -- these two methods of consumption are not mutually exclusive, as some would have you believe.) And, let me tell you, it didn't take long before e-reading and e-buying (is that a thing?) felt natural. And, with a bigger screen and constant internet access, it's even better on the iPhone than it was on the iPod.

So, one generation down. Next up, my mother, who not only received my hand-me-up iPod (oh, how the tables have turned!) -- and don't worry, I got her a real and new present, too -- but a new Nook Color, as well. While I think she may have been temporarily overwhelmed by the abundance of new technology (a feeling that, as Digital Community Builder, I have experienced often), I genuinely believe she'll soon be hooked. In an attempt to give her some usage tips and tricks, I played around with that Nook to familiarize myself, and let me tell you, that is quite a device. Not only is the color display incredible, but with the wireless connectivity and the built-in tools and apps, I think the new Nook presents some serious competition to both the iPad and the Kindle. By the time I stepped away from the table, my mom was already getting the hang of it, and I don't doubt that she'll be wielding it like a pro by my next visit. So, two generations down, one to go.

And that one might be "to go" forever. While all of this was going on, my grandmother sat in (relative) silence -- which, for her, is pretty rare. As we subscribed to magazines, filled out crossword puzzles, snapped and shared pictures, and even answered some text messages, Grandma looked on with eyes wide, like someone who had gone to sleep and woken up in an episode of The Jetsons. She was genuinely amazed at the ease with which I was able to intuit the devices and, I have to admit, I was too. Not in the sense that I was impressed with my own unique capabilities (because, at this point, unique they are not), but because one family so easily represented the stages of technological change. There we sat, three generations of book-lovers, all coming to terms with the future (or, rather, the present) of book publishing -- both the good and the bad.

Have you experienced anything like this? If so, I'd love for you to share it in the comments. And, as always, thanks for reading.