eBook Love Affair.

My mother worked as a librarian for several years of my childhood; she would take me with her on short shifts and let me wander the library and touch all of the books. I was never restricted to the children’s section, as far as I can recall, and I loved the reference books as much as the fiction as much as the magazines as much as the horror novels.

Some of my best memories involve my Cabbage Patch Kid comforter, a patch of sunlight, and an entire afternoon with a stack of library books. It was not, and still isn’t, uncommon for me to have several books “on the go” at any given time; opening a new book gives me a feeling that I can’t describe. It’s glee and potential and magic all wrapped up in paper.

I love the feeling of a book in my hand; I love the smell of the paper, especially in a brand new book. I love a well-designed cover and I love the various fonts that make up a story.

And ohgod, I love bookstores. All those beautiful, pristine, good-smelling books waiting for me to take them home gives me shovers.

I love books in part, I think, because of the possibilities: anything can happen. I might discover a new hobby or passion, or, equally as likely, I might find something new to dislike. I love other people’s perspectives and ideas and knowledge. I love certain words, too, and the way they’re combined. Sometimes I read and re-read one or two lines just for the way they make me feel.

Despite my early love for the library, it’s safe to say that, over the years, I’ve spent thousands and thousands of dollars buying books. In my early 20s, I lived near a bookstore and indulged myself several times per week. I read very quickly, you see, which means I need a new ‘fix’ more often than others might. It’s safe to say that about 40% of my income was, at times, going toward books. (The rest went primarily to shoes and rent, I think.)

It wasn’t until Coffee and I moved to Stoney Creek, really, that I got back to using the library. I was going through my divorce and trying to figure out how to afford certain things – books were just not on the priority list. But I wanted them. I needed them.

There are problems with the library, of course.

The newest books aren’t always available – and if they are, chances are good you’ll have to wait for a long, long time to get them thanks to the holds list.

Some people treat books badly. In Stoney Creek, in particular, the books very often contained boogers (no, really) which was disgusting and dismaying in equal proportions.

But.. there’s no charge to read the books and keep them for a while. That’s pretty appealing when you’re on a budget.

I kept up the library habit after we moved to Kitchener. The library here is quite good – they buy books when a request is made (yeah!) and the selection they have is, generally, quite good. With kids, though, the library is AWESOME.

I want the kids to explore books without fear. I want them to pick them up, try them out, love/hate them. Books as gifts are among my favourite things – but the library gives them the chance to expand their horizons a bit. Check out books they’re not sure they’ll love. Try new authors. See what other kids are reading.

A while ago, I bought an inexpensive eBook reader. I had railed against them for a long time – a long, long time – for most of the reasons noted above. I like the tactile and physical experience of books. I like flipping through them before bringing them home (whether at the store or the library). I just wasn’t convinced that I’d like, or ever use, an eBook reader.

A local store had the lowest level eBook reader – refurbished – on sale. I figured I’d give it a shot and, if I hated it, I could probably give it to one of the kids to use or maybe just keep it for when I traveled somewhere.

It turns out that I love it. I love love it.

I was surprised.

Every single time I use it, I comment to Coffee that I’m really glad I bought it.

The first benefit is that it’s small – I can easily fit it into my backpack (or a purse) and it’s not heavy or wildly awkward to take it with me.

It also holds hundreds of books. All at once. That capacity makes it even better for taking along with me – I don’t have to wonder if I’ll be in the mood for one particular book when I can take a huge number of them with me. No extra weight in my bag.

It also means I can do my ADD-style reading and have several books “on the go” at any given time.

The battery lasts for about 2 weeks per charge. I can keep it in my bag and not think about it.

The screen on mine isn’t backlit – but it’s very similar to regular paper. I can use a booklight in the dark and I can read it just fine in full, outdoor sunlight.

Making it even better for me is that my local library offers ebooks. Many of them are recent releases, too, so I’m not just reading “the classics” or some crappy reference book out of desperation.

There are sites that offer free ebooks, too, that I’ve haven’t explored (yet). I also haven’t purchased any ebooks – my library has kept me covered.

My ebook reader isn’t going to replace all of my books, nor will I stop buying regular books (for the foreseeable future, at least). But this is saving me money, time, and keeping my backpack lighter.

Keep in mind that I have the lowest, cheapest version – none of the extra features and extra cost – and I love it. LOVE IT.

If you’re an avid reader, particularly one who likes to have a book at hand constantly, I’d seriously recommend looking into an ebook reader.