“I’m a traditionalist. There is something magical about curling up with a good paper book and I hope that physical books are never totally replaced – as they are often printed on recycled paper. However, there is a place for eBooks too. I like the convenience of them and because they check themselves in, there is no stress about fines which is nice!”
4. What are some resources that the library provides, other than the lending of reading materials? (answered by Rachel Rosenberg)
“The library offers digital services. For example, you can borrow eBooks, stream movies, and listen to music. You can also access many different online databases, building codes, and study guides. If you are interested in finding out legal information, we also have access to a legal research tool. You can also do 3D printing and modelling, find genealogy info, and more. You can book time to work on some 3D modelling yourself or we can print one of our standard items on the spot.”
5. What advice do you have for students who do not enjoy reading? (answered by Rachel Rosenberg)
“Reading can include so many things! If you don’t like novels, try comic-like novels such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid or even a superhero comic, a magazine or a newspaper. Alternatively, you can find a book on a subject you love and read that. You can read books about Minecraft, or even find stories written in a Minecraft universe - there are lots of books out there. There are also movie guides, cookbooks - all of that is still reading. When you find a book that really connects with you, you will probably really want to read it.”
6. How do you feel about the banning and censoring of certain books? (answered by Rachel Rosenberg)
“There are a lot of books in the world and many of them I have no interest in reading. That might be because I don’t like the genre, or I don’t care about the subject or like the view expressed. That doesn’t mean that others shouldn’t have the right to choose to read them, though. If I find that some crime novels are too gory, I can decide for myself not to read those titles. It’s important that people are allowed the freedom to explore new ideas and different viewpoints; it is how we formulate opinions for ourselves.”
7. How do you feel about eBooks? Should we stop printing books to save the trees we cut for paper and replace printed books entirely? (answered by Cindy Kloos)