Kobo Glo HD Available for Pre-Order; Plus Quick Video Review

Yesterday Kobo officially announced their latest new ebook reader, the Kobo Glo HD. It’s claim to fame is the fact that it comes with a 300 ppi E Ink Carta display, the latest and greatest screen technology from E Ink. The Glo HD also features an adjustable frontlight to help illuminate the 6-inch screen, it […]

URL: http://feeds.the-ebook-reader.com/~r/feedburner/cmWU/~3/mfBWdaiL5F0/

Oyster Launches New eBook Store, But It’s a Walled Garden

Today Oyster announced that they’ve just opened the doors on their new ebook store, where they sell ebooks from all the major publishers. Right now the store is only available to residents in the United States, but Oyster is expected to begin expanding internationally later this year. Previously Oyster only offered ebooks through a monthly […]

URL: http://feeds.the-ebook-reader.com/~r/feedburner/cmWU/~3/bQSK_LI-1yI/

Growing things in the (mushroom) cloud*

We’re getting quite excited about horticulture here at Pi Towers this year; Rachel’s got a desktop greenhouse growing interesting edible leaves with a high degree of Raspberry Pi involvement (we’ll have much more on that, and on how she’s scaling it into a bigger installation you’ll be able to visit, in a month or so). I’m waiting for a warm weekend to set up a new owl box, with Pi camera, in my garden; and there’s another Pi camera deployed in the direction of the plants on my desk so I can check that Clive doesn’t forget to water them again next time I have to go overseas. (The best) part of Rachel’s Pi garden setup. Green plants benefit from a spot of automated attention from a Raspberry Pi to their water levels, UV light levels and the length of their “day”, and temperature. Kyle Gabriel has been applying a similar process to mycology, automating the cultivation of mushrooms with a Raspberry Pi. Mushrooms’ needs are not the same as those of Rachel’s salad vegetables; the Pi overseeing a mushroom farm needs to be paying attention to CO2 levels, temperature and humidity, among other things. (Fun mushroom-raising fact: if you’ve got a log prepped with shiitake spores, you’ll need to shock it to get it to start to fruit, either by hitting it hard with a hammer, or submerging it in really, really cold water for a couple of days.) Kyle’s setup, which heats, humidifies and introduces filtered, sterile air into the mushrooms’ environment, outputs data on temperature, humidity, dew point and how long the setup has been running to a browser, creating handsome graphs to reassure the user that everything is tickety-boo inside the mushroom box. The results don’t speak for themselves, because they’re mushrooms, and mushrooms are vocally challenged. But they look pretty darn tasty. Kyle has made a full build diary and detailed explanation of what’s going on in the chamber available at his website. Thanks Kyle! *A long argument has been going on this afternoon over whether we should have gone with this title, or changed it to “A Fun Guy to be with”. Please let us know your preference in the comments.

URL: http://www.raspberrypi.org/growing-things-in-the-mushroom-cloud/

Get Brian Grazer’s A Curious Mind free from Simon & Schuster!

Simon and Schuster is doing something very curious. For every eBook and print sale of the new release , A Curious Mind, by Brian Grazer from April 7 – April 18, Simon and Schuster will donate one eBook copy of the title to a school or public library (up to 5,000 copies). And what's more – Simon and Schuster will randomly select 10 winners from the list of registered libraries to win an autographed copy of the book. You can sign up for a chance to be one of the 5,000 winners here. Please note that completing registration does not guarantee a free copy of the book. Full terms and conditions can be found on the registration page. Brian Grazer is the producer of A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, Splash, Arrested Development, 24, 8 Mile, Empire, and J. Edgar, among others. His films and TV shows have been nominated for forty-three Academy Awards and 149 Emmys. In 2007, he was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World. A CURIOUS MIND, his first book, was published by Simon & Schuster on April 7, 2015. You can start reading the title below:

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DigitalDistributionBlogOverdrive/~3/-s2eNB663Vc/

Overdrive now Allows Libraries to Pre-order eBooks Six Months in Advance

The digital collection manager is chiefly responsible for insuring there are enough audiobooks, e-books, music and videos available for their patrons to borrow. In the past, they did not have much flexibility in ordering ebook titles in advance. Basically, whenever they showed up in the Overdrive Marketplace, that was when they could place an order. The process has become more robust, with the ability to order digital books six months in advance. Librarians can now be considered the smartest book nerds around. They will be well informed about the new Stephen King and Mary Higgins Clark books are due out, before their friends even hear about the news. One of the big benefits about this new program is that your library won't be invoiced for these titles until the street date. In order to build hype around a potential bestseller, libraries can take advance of the Curated Collections tool to promote them on their websites. via Overdrive Overdrive now Allows Libraries to Pre-order eBooks Six Months in Advance is a post from: Good e-Reader

URL: http://goodereader.com/blog/digital-library-news/overdrive-now-allows-libraries-to-pre-order-titles-six-months-in-advance

The Kobo Glo HD Does Not Have a SD Card

Yesterday we broke the news that Kobo had a new e-readerand today they company officially announced the Kobo Glo HD. This device is primarily competing against the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite and is considered a mid-range digital reader. In order to get the Glo HD price down, the Canadian based company had to make some sacrifices. For the first time ever, Kobo has made the decision not to include an SD card on their new e-reader. This will effectively lock customers into only having 4 GB of internal memory with no option to expand it. Kobo is betting that more people will buy e-books from their own bookstore, in order to safely store them in the cloud. If your reader gets too full, you can delete the books and download them again at any time. The Kobo Aura and the Kobo H2O were the first e-readers that had the screen entirely flush with the bezel,  much akin to your standard smartphone or tablet. The Glo HD is a bit of a downgrade in this regard because it employs a sunken screen. It feels very 2011. I think the Kobo Glo HD is a step backwards for e-reader development. It seems the company just wants to have the cheapest device possible and will likely discount it to $99 by the end of the year. In order to lower the manufacturing costs, they had to remove a lot of key features that have been a fixture of the Kobo brand for the last two years. My advice is if you are looking for a top of the line e-reader with all the bells and whistles, consider the Kobo Aura, which is a bit long in the tooth, or the waterproof H2O e-reader. The Kobo Glo HD Does Not Have a SD Card is a post from: Good e-Reader

URL: http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/the-kobo-glo-hd-has-no-sd-card

Kobo Glo HD Will Cost $129, Releases May 1st

Today Kobo officially announced the upcoming release of the new Kobo Glo HD ebook reader that turned up online a couple days ago. What makes the Kobo Glo HD unique from other Kobo devices is the super high 300 ppi resolution screen. It’s the same E Ink Carta screen that the much more expensive Kindle […]

URL: http://feeds.the-ebook-reader.com/~r/feedburner/cmWU/~3/1xyDuGhhgOU/

The OverDrive app now features a dyslexic font option

Last week we released the most recent version of the OverDrive app with a number of enhancements including the option to select a dyslexic font when reading eBooks. Standard typefaces are often difficult to read for people with dyslexia as the letters are hard to differentiate and words tend to jumble together. Dyslexic fonts provide greater contrast in letters which solves this problem. This new font option will make reading easier for students with dyslexia as well as library patrons who struggle with the condition. Determining letters is now much easier, allowing readers to concentrate on the book's content instead. To select the dyslexic font tap the center of your device's screen when reading a title and choose the font options button. Then simply select which dyslexic font you'd like to use. As always, you can also adjust the spacing, font size and screen color to make your reading experience more enjoyable. This update is one of many enhancements planned for the app – with more coming later in the year – that will continue to help users get the most out of their digital reading experience.   Adam Sockel is a Social Media Specialist with OverDrive

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DigitalDistributionBlogOverdrive/~3/yX4egbiL42o/

Latest Bestselling Trend Is Coloring Books…for Adults

There is no disputing the fact that the publishing industry looks nothing like it did even ten years ago, let alone a hundred years ago. As a result of these swift and all-encompassing changes, bookselling has changed dramatically, too. One of the first major shifts was in the large numbers of adult readers who were voraciously consuming young adult literature, largely because there was nothing like the books of today when those readers were kids. It wasn’t long before hard-core erotica burst into the spotlight, no longer relegated to the taboo bookstores and carried around in brown wrappers or tucked inside more “worthy” books. So it should come as no surprise that one of the hottest trends in bookselling right now is coloring books aimed at adults. No, it’s not the 50 Shades of Grey coloring book adaptation, but instead highly intricate works of art meant for adults to enjoy. According to an article in the Guardian on the surprising sales figures of a few select new titles, the real reason these are so popular with adults is the ability to unwind and do something slightly mindless, while still getting an energy boost brought on from tapping into one’s creative side. "I think it is really relaxing, to do something analogue, to unplug," said illustrator/author Joanna Basford told the Guardian. "And it's creative. For many people, a blank sheet is very daunting; with a colouring book you just need to bring the colour. Also there's a bit of nostalgia there. So many people have said to me that they used to do secret colouring in when their kids were in bed. Now it is socially acceptable, it's a category of its own. These are books for adults. The art in my books is super intricate." While the books that have made waves among readers in recent years are still published under the traditional model–young adult titles such as the Hunger Games trilogy, explicit content such as Abbi Glines’ Rosemary Beach series, and now high-art coloring books–it’s no wonder that readers are sparking as much change as authors have. Where authors are no longer limited in their publishing models, their preferred genres, or their formats, readers have also refused to be limited by something as simple as a recommended age range. And whether it’s tales of BDSM or highly complex black line drawings of botanical gardens, readers are demanding choice, too. Latest Bestselling Trend Is Coloring Books…for Adults is a post from: Good e-Reader

URL: http://goodereader.com/blog/bookselling-3/latest-bestselling-trend-is-coloring-books-for-adults

Librarian’s Share: Providing learning tools for the staff

(Ed. Note: This post was written by Cathy Daane of the Madison Metropolitan School District and discusses how they trained their staff and provide them with easy access to answers about their OverDrive service.) When the Madison Metropolitan School District decided to start an OverDrive collection for all of their patrons, one of the concerns was how to train the 46 school librarians so that they could be the local experts on this resource. In addition to some large group training sessions and using targeted e-mails to highlight the many resources that OverDrive provides online, a LibGuide page was created as a central spot that librarians could go to when they needed an answer to an OverDrive question “right now.” Since the district’s librarians already used a privately shared LibGuide to warehouse other important district library information, a new page was simply created in the “Librarian e-guide” to provide specific OverDrive information. The initial LibGuide focused on general information about OverDrive such as what it was, how it might be utilized by district students and staff, and how district patrons would access it. It also included links to many of the excellent resources that OverDrive provided, such as device specific directions. In addition, screencasts and documents that were specific to MMSD (such as the district’s ordering process for OverDrive shopping carts) were posted here. A year later new boxes have appeared as needed, such as “Simple Login” information when that became an option. Recently one librarian wanted to know how to remove a title from a patron’s name before the checkout period has expired. With help from an OverDrive Account Specialist, the needed directions were found and shared not only with that librarian, but also posted on the OverDrive libguide so that others could learn that process as well. Links that allow librarians to go to a spreadsheet to request access level changes for a specific title or request purchases of new titles have also been added. This streamlines the district requests so that one person can check the lists periodically and handle them in a very efficient manner. The LibGuide is a work in progress, but is really has helped to cut down on the questions that may be directed to central library media services staff members. It helps the school librarians learn things on their own when they need to find an answer for either themselves or a patron.   Madison Metropolitan School District is located in Madison Wisconsin and has been using OverDrive with their students and staff since January, 2014.

URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DigitalDistributionBlogOverdrive/~3/ffW5xvMmXgM/

We represent the Lollipop League

Thanks for bearing with us while we took the Easter break off – we return to you refreshed and full of chocolate. The marvellous Spencer Organ, one of our Certified Educators, is a teacher at King Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy (KESH Academy to its friends) in Birmingham. The school recently put on a student performance of The Wizard of Oz. Spencer was in charge of performance technology, and wanted to see if he could fit a Raspberry Pi in as special effects equipment. The Tin Man’s heart presented a perfect opportunity. Spencer used the Pimoroni Unicorn HAT with a Model A+ to make the Tin Man’s heart (which was made out of red foil back when I did the same play as a kid) a glowing, animated thing of wonder. For more on HATs, see James’ post from last year. (Spencer sensibly tweaked the brightness settings; a Unicorn HAT at full blast is positively retina-searing.) The heart was programmed to pulse, giving the audience the impression it was beating. Spencer says: The code was relatively simple and I used a simple list to assign the x,y and colour data for each pixel to be used. myList1=[3,2,3,4,1,2,3,4,5,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,0,1,2,3,5,6,7,1,2,6] myList2=[0,1,1,1,2,2,2,2,2,3,3,3,3,3,3,3,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,6,6,6,6,6,6,6,7,7,7] myList3=[1,1,2,1,1,2,2,2,1,1,2,2,2,2,2,1,1,3,3,2,2,2,2,1,1,3,3,2,1,2,2,1,1,2,2,1,1,2,1,1,1,1] To give the effect of the heart beating and pulsating I gradually changed the brightness of the pixels from about 30 – 80%. It was important not to go too bright as I could have blinded the audience or other cast members! while True: for bright in range (30,80): UH.brightness(bright*0.01) heart() This gave a very passable beating effect which looked stunning on the stage. The Pi was powered with a portable battery pack and to make backstage life easier the code was activated from boot using crontab with: @reboot sudo python /home/pi/Pimoroni/heart.py & Spencer has made the Python script you’ll need to make your own available on his website; check out the Raspberry Pi section of his blog for more teaching and learning ideas with the Pi. Thanks Spencer!

URL: http://www.raspberrypi.org/we-represent-the-lollipop-league/

Kodansha Launches New Manga

Last weekend, at the Anime Boston convention, comic distributor Kodansha introduced a list of several new manga. The six titles introduced included a new Persona manga, a new Vinland Saga to break the hiatus, and an original horror manga about cats. Attack on Titan 16 Special Edition This special edition contains a set of premium-quality playing cards, each with a unique piece of full-color art, alongside the volume. The manga additionally comes with a dust jacket featuring original variant art by a well-known Western comics creator, whose name has yet to be announced. Cat Diary: Yon & Myu More of a horror/comedy, the manga is a single 120-page book,  following the “autobiographical” tale of the author’s girlfriend, and the two cats that move in along with her. From the pen of horror master Junji Ito, this is absolutely a must have for any lovers of spooks, laughs, or both. Devil Survivor The manga is based on the 3DS game of the same name, following the story of a high school boy trying to survive when his world is suddenly overcome by demons. The game had a sequel released in 2011 in Japan. Ninja Slayer Kills The manga is an adaption of the popular Ninja Slayer novel series, which is also being adapted into a highly anticipated anime. The bloody, ultra-violent story centers around a ninja-killing Grim Reaper in a spree for vengeance. Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth P3/P4 The popular 3DS game series has been adapted into manga before, this new title being another to add to the family. This manga is also available on Crunchyroll, for those who so desire. Vinland Saga After suffering a hiatus, Vinland Saga is making its return with the sixth and seventh volumes coming out in September and December, respectively. The series, written and illustrated by award-winning author Makoto Yumikura, is a fantastical account of Danish king Cnut the Great’s invasion of England. Kodansha Launches New Manga is a post from: Good e-Reader

URL: http://goodereader.com/blog/manga-and-anime-news/kodansha-launches-new-manga

Apple Watch Pre-Orders Begin at 12:01AM PT on April 10

It’s almost here! Pre-orders for the much-anticipated Apple Watch will begin on Friday, April 10 at 12:01AM Pacific Time. Apple updated the Apple Watch page of their online store today to reflect the pre-order date and time (and build excitement, which is something they are especially good at). Pre-orders will go-live simultaneously in all of the first-wave launch locations: U.S. and Canada: 12:01AM (Pacific Time) U.K.: 8:01AM Germany: 9:01AM France: 9:01AM Australia: 5:01AM Hong Kong: 3:01AM China: 3:01AM Japan 3:01AM If the past is any indication, Apple will likely take the store down at 9PM just prior to the first orders. If you would like to save time, hit the Apple Store ahead of time and check all of the possible configurations (when you click the heart icon next to the one you want, it will be in your account and ready for pre-order). Apple Watch Pre-Orders Begin at 12:01AM PT on April 10 is a post from: Good e-Reader

URL: http://goodereader.com/blog/spotlight-on-android/apple-watch-pre-orders-begin-at-1201am-pt-on-april-10

Microsoft Set to Deliver Unlocked Surface 3 LTE

Microsoft is full of surprises these days, the latest of which was delivered when their Surface team fielded questions during a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) session. Fans of the Surface tablet were curious whether there would be a model with 3G/LTE that wasn’t locked to a carrier –the official answer to which was yes (though the timeframe given carried the typical Microsoft ‘sometime in the future’ response). Regardless, this is good news for those who have been waiting patiently for an unlocked Windows tablet. Nothing else worthy of mention came out of the AMA session –though when they were asked about plans for the (hopefully) upcoming Surface 4 tablet, their response was “nothing” (literally). If they have learned anything from Apple, this is a wise way to steer the course. So far there hasn’t been an official announcement from Microsoft’s PR department on this unlocked Surface tablet news. Microsoft Set to Deliver Unlocked Surface 3 LTE is a post from: Good e-Reader

URL: http://goodereader.com/blog/spotlight-on-android/microsoft-set-to-deliver-unlocked-surface-3-lte

New Kobo Glo HD e-Reader Available May 1st

Kobo has a new e-reader that they are going to be releasing May 1st 2015. The device is being billed as the Kobo Glo HD and will be retailing for around $149. This device was designed to heavily compete against the Amazon Kindle Voyage, giving readers a reason to stick with, or switch to the Kobo brand. The brand new Kobo Glo HD features a six inch e-ink Carta screen with a resolution of 1448×1072 and 300 PPI. It has the same front-lit display as the Kobo Aura H2O, so you will be able to read in low-light conditions or complete darkness. I think Kobo is doing a great job with offering the same type of hardware as the Kindle Voyage, at a fraction of the price. The one thing Kobo has always done really well is make great devices that have basic options for the average users, but really extensive options for the more tech literate. The Kobo Glo HD features the same dynamic home screen as prior models. It showcases the last twelve books you have purchased and gives you shortcuts based on the last 12 things you have opened, such as the  internet browser.  I really dig this feature, because commonly accessed functions are easily found, instead of being buried in sub-menus. Kobo will likely be making a major announcement in the next few days, but the product is already available for pre-order in  New Zealand and Australia. In addition there is a new product overview video produced by Kobo, you can check it out below. New Kobo Glo HD e-Reader Available May 1st is a post from: Good e-Reader

URL: http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/new-kobo-glo-hd-e-reader-available-may-1st

How Do Amazon-Publisher Disputes Affect Authors and Readers?

It was only a year ago that the publishing industry sat riveted as it waited to see how the storm between Amazon and publisher Hachette was going to play out. Hachette wanted new terms in light of the DOJ price fixing investigation, and Amazon wasn’t about to budge. And with a 95% control of the ebook market, it’s easy to see why Amazon didn’t think freezing its sales of Hachette titles could possibly spiral out into a flaming pile of contract negotiation. Once that fiasco was resolved, other publishers were quick to jump aboard the “we set our own prices” bandwagon, and other issues between Amazon and members of the Big Five arose. But the latest in the battle parade, HarperCollins, doesn’t seem as keen to accept the deal that Amazon is holding out. While both groups have been stereotypically mute about what exactly this contract involves, Amazon has stated that it’s the same contract terms that the other members have agreed to. HarperCollins is holding out for something else, something that a few sources have said may involve access to the sales data that Amazon gathers. Amazon does not release customer data, and with good reason; HarperCollins has been steadily building an ebook sales channel while encouraging consumers to shop at other outlets besides Amazon. With access to the names and email addresses of Amazon’s customers who’ve bought HarperCollins’ titles, the publisher could make a run for selling directly to the consumer with the push of a MailChimp button. But this begs the question: how are authors and readers–the very people who are supposed to be at the core of the publishing industry–affected by these types of negotiation disputes? Last summer’s Hachette dispute resulted in open letters from authors and celebrities begging, nay demanding, that consumers stop spending money on Amazon. At the same time, authors spoke out about their livelihoods being disrupted, although most leveraged their complaints at Amazon rather than at the publishers who were taking a hefty percentage of their royalties. As if authors hadn’t already found enough reason to self-publish, reasons such as creative control, higher royalties, and freedom to publish any type of content they wish, these constant battles with retailers may provide enough reason for more authors to move on. Higher caliber authors who are still commanding large advances, ambitious marketing budgets, and multi-book deals will probably stay comfortably put, but even the midlist authors may have found yet another reason to stop playing around with traditional publishing and go after their own careers. How Do Amazon-Publisher Disputes Affect Authors and Readers? is a post from: Good e-Reader

URL: http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/how-do-amazon-publisher-disputes-affect-authors-and-readers

Yen Press Announces 11 New Print and Digital Only Titles

At this weekends Sakura-Con, Yen Press had a vast list of manga licences to announce at their panel on Friday. A few of the popular titles include Wataru Watanabe’s Yowamushi Pedal, which will be released in a two-in-one omnibus as well as Izumi Tsubaki’s Monthly Girl’s Noazaki-kun. Other titles that will be released in print include Akira Haio’s Sakura no Himegoto, Tsuyoshi Watanabe’s Dragon’s Rioting and Olympus Knights and Pinake’s Aldnoah.Zero Season One. Yowamushi Pedal Otaku Sakamichi Onoda has just entered high school school and his plans consist of simply joining the anime club. In order to attain the items he needs for his figure collection, he often goes to the shopping district on an old little commuter bike riddle with steep slopes. Onoda catches the eye of a fellow classmate and in turn ends up joining the competitive sport of bicycle racing. Monthly Girl’s Nozaki-Kun Sakura Chiyo confesses her deep feelings to her classmate Nozaki but due to a misunderstanding, Nozaki simply thinks that she is just a fan of his shojo manga works. It’s up to Sakura to convey her true feelings as their relationship develops. Sakura no Himegoto Aoi comes from a prestigious family while little is known about the mysterious Kei. Thanks to a debt Aoi’s grandfather has to Kei, the two soon develop a master and pet relationship. Dragon’s Rioting After somehow accidentally entering an all girl’s school, Rintarō finds himself in deep trouble. Having a disease that could potentionally be life threatening when getting aroused wasn’t enough, contending with the girl’s who rule the school the three ‘dragons’, might just be enough to set him on edge. Aldnoah.Zero After many move to Mars, the Princess Asseylum, a royal Martian princess descends onto Earth to attempt to create a treaty between the two planets. A war inevitably breaks out between the two and Martian soldiers begin to descend from the sky, equipped with steel giants, intent on exterminating humanity. But that’s not all folks! Yen Press will also be licensing 8 more titles as Digital only editions whose titles include: Servant x Service An office comedy taking place in the health and welfare section of a ward office in a certain city. Newcomers Hasebe Yutaka, Yamagami, Miyoshi Saya and their supervisor Ichimiya Taishi go through the everyday quirks of working at the office. Handa-Kun (Barakamon Spinoff) Sei Handa is highly admired at high school and a skilled calligrapher but despite his popularity, he has began coming to terms with the fact that the whole school hates him. The Royal Tutor The royal tutor is an honourable title throughout the country. But what is a tutor to do when the prince doesn’t want to study? Scarlet Empire High school student Miyasaka Kotetsu, leader of the Sekihoutai, aims to be the top in kendo along with his younger brother Today’s Kerberos A young man that has been traumatized must deal with a box his father brings home one day that contains girls with three strange personalities. Unkown A fantasy storey about a pair of ‘wisemen’ traveling to ensure that wisdom does not fall into the wrong hands. When a Magician’s Pupil Smiles (Mahou Tsukai Deshi ga Warau Toki) Ouka Namae is a boy who lacks emotions. When nothing in his life can give him an kind of feeling, he must track down someone who is important to him to gain emotions. Yen Press Announces 11 New Print and Digital Only Titles is a post from: Good e-Reader

URL: http://goodereader.com/blog/manga-and-anime-news/yen-press-announces-11-new-print-and-digital-only-titles

The Outdated Concept of a “Best Books” List

It doesn’t really matter what the list is or what it’s measuring, there’s bound to be a critic and there’s guaranteed to be a sore spot for a book, film, song, or other content that didn’t make the cut. That’s the sentiment behind a really insightful post on The Passive Voice over a list of the best children’s books of all time. The post, which links to an article in The Telegraph that focuses on a BBC Culture poll, outlined the top children’s books of all time, as nominated by critics worldwide and narrowed down to a list of the top twenty-one. It’s no surprise that EB White’s 1953 Newbery Honor title Charlotte’s Web was the number one pick. It’s a beloved classic in which good and animal love triumph, and has been adapted for both live-action film and animated feature, as well as enjoyed a sequel. But the rest of the list has caused more than a little head scratching, and some very insightful readers have explained wherein the problems lie. The complete list includes (in order): Charlotte's Web – EB White The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – CS Lewis Where the Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak Alice's Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll Little Women – Louisa May Alcott The Little Prince – Antoine de Saint-Exupery Winnie-the-Pooh – AA Milne Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl A Wizard of Earthsea – Ursula Le Guin A Wrinkle in Time – Madeline L'Engle The Little House on the Prairie – Laura Ingalls Wilder The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler – EL Koenigsburg The Phantom Tollbooth – Norton Juster His Dark Materials trilogy – Philip Pullman Matilda – Roald Dahl Harriet the Spy – Louise Fitzhugh Pippi Longstocking – Astrid Lindgren The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett Goodnight Moon – Margaret Wise Brown and Pat Hancock The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien As you can see, it’s not hard to understand where the problem begins for many readers who criticized this list. First, there’s only one title(s) on the list that was published after 1990, and that’s Philip Pullman’s trilogy. This led to a lot of criticism due to the fact that adults are thinking back to their own early reading experiences and declaring their own attempts at learning to read and beginning to love books, then deciding that the way it all came together for them must make it the best. What’s more telling is what’s not listed. Where are the Dr. Seuss titles? The Harry Potter series? Shel Silverstein? Patricia Polacco or Laura Numeroff? Kate DiCamillo and her entire canon of work? More than that, where are the more internationally diverse authors? If these books were nominated by critics around the world as the poll stated, how is it there were no books written by authors from anywhere other than the United States or Europe? Where are the books written and devoured by today’s young and emergent readers, books who’ve had the power to transform literacy education in the way that Seuss has, or have brought to light historical and human rights issues the way Polacco’s have? One commenter on the Passive Voice blog post pointed out a very telling comparison to the formation of this kind of list and the current state of publishing, and that’s the “gatekeeper” mentality. These books were deemed worthy of the honor of best books for children, although admittedly it was based on the critics’ own opinions. That’s the unfortunate nature of traditional publishing, which is this opinion-based mechanism in which a small number of individuals have the authority to determine what the public will read. It’s a model that authors are turning away from, and hopefully readers will at least take with a grain of salt when determining which books are the best. The Outdated Concept of a “Best Books” List is a post from: Good e-Reader

URL: http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/the-outdated-concept-of-a-best-books-list

The top 10 reasons to preorder titles in OverDrive Marketplace

Recently we announced that the ability to preorder titles up to six months in advance in OverDrive Marketplace was now live. This provides your library countless new opportunities to be the first stop for your users when looking for their next great read. Here are our top ten reasons to start preordering titles today: 1. Be the Go-To Source for Upcoming Titles Patrons will discover new titles through YOU, their most favorite eBook resource. Don't make them go to retail sites. Keep them in your house! 2. Increase Your Circulation Most readers want the new stuff. Make sure they find it. Get the titles live and use Curated Lists to promote them. 3. Make Your Patrons Happy You know they want this. Just give it to them already. People love their libraries. Keep delivering more and more cool stuff so they stay happy! 4. Up Your Cred You're the smartest book nerds around. Make sure your patrons know it. Tell them that Stephen King and Mary Higgins Clark have new books coming before their friends hear the news. 5. Watch the Pudding If the proof is in the pudding, then prove it to yourself. Buy a copy of some hot titles and watch the holds build before your very eyes. You'll have plenty of time to add copies before the street date, and no worries about messing up the catalogers' workflow if you do it this way. 6. The Best and Busiest Libraries Do It Ask top libraries and you'll find that they routinely do this with their print books. We're so happy to finally be able to offer the option for your digital collection as well. 7. Save the Time of the Reader When a reader hears of a new book, don't make them jot it down and keep coming back to see if they can place that hold. They want to place the hold right now, forget it and move on. 8. You Don't Have to Worry about Changing Prices or the Budget Your library won't be invoiced for these titles until the street date. So feel free to order a title even if it's from next year. 9. Align Your Print and Digital Purchases You already do this in the print arena. Streamlining your digital purchasing is a no-brainer. Order all formats at the same time. 10. Maximize Metered Access Build holds on metered access titles and order the correct number of copies all at once near the street date. The meter doesn't start until the title is live, so you can minimize the confusing multiple expiration dates for those books a year or two from now. Convinced yet? Check out these carts of the hottest titles to easily get started with Preorders: Hottest Books of April Hottest Books of April (Kids & Teens) Hottest Books of May *Hottest Books of May (Kids & Teens)* Hottest Books of June *Hottest Books of June (Kids & Teens)* Hottest Books of July *Hottest Books of July (Kids & Teens)* Hottest Books of August *Hottest Books of August (Kids & Teens)* Hottest Books of Fall *Hottest Books of Fall (Kids & Teens)* Hottest Books of the Next Six Months   Cindy Orr is a Digital Collection Advisor with OverDrive

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The Evolution of Mobile Online Casino Gaming in the US

Online casinos that could only ever be accessed using a PC or laptop can now be accessed using most modern smartphone & tablet devices. Since Apple launched the iPhone back in 2007 and since Google first entered the market with the Android in 2008, most leading online casino software providers have been busy developing their content for use with these handheld devices and US players can now find plenty of secure mobile casinos to play at. US players who are interested in playing at online casinos using their mobile devices should visit TopCasinos.com who list US player accepting brands that offer mobile gaming. Many of today's best US mobile casinos are powered by Rival Gaming, Realtime Gaming and/or Betsoft Gaming, whereas players from most other countries also usually have access to Microgaming, Playtech, NetEnt and IGT Interactive powered mobile casinos. The first ever mobile casinos were rather basic looking, especially when you compare them to today's mobile casinos, but the technology is constantly evolving and today's players only ever have access to the very latest in cutting edge mobile casino technology. US players can now visit a growing number of fully licensed mobile casinos and enjoy HD quality games with state of the art touchscreen technology and responsive player controls. The latest mobile casino games have lots of stunning animated sequences with 3D rendered graphics and impressive sound effects for players to enjoy. The mobile networks offer stable connections which allow you to enjoy the games uninterrupted and even if you do lose your connection mid-game, the next time you launch that game you will be taken to the exact same point from where you were cut off. HTML5 mobile casino technology became the new standard platform for mobile devices back in 2010 and this led to a massive increase in the number of mobile casino games that were available and HTML5 mobile games could now run on any HTML5 compatible smartphone or tablet device. When the first US mobile casinos became available just over five years ago, players could only find less than ten games, but in 2015 this number has grown to more than 50 individual mobile casino games and new games continue to arrive every month. Real money mobile casino gambling is legal in the US, but the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) still prohibits numerous financial institutions from processing transactions at online gambling sites (both at desktop & mobile gaming sites). This means that US players often have very few payment methods available. However, a growing number of US states have started taking a more relaxed approach towards online gambling and you can now find that most top-rated US mobile casinos that operated within these states do now provide a sufficient number of reliable US online payment options. The best thing to do before signing up to a mobile casino would be to check that your local, state and federal laws do allow you to gamble at that particular mobile casino. You could also check with the mobile casino's customer support. The support is usually toll-free for US players and you can generally contact the casino via telephone, email and/or live chat. Today's best US mobile casinos are easy to navigate thanks to the highly sophisticated and user-friendly interfaces. They are free to sign up to and when you open a new account at any US-friendly mobile casino you will receive a guaranteed new player welcome bonus. This sign up bonus could be a matching deposit bonus or a no deposit bonus. Modern US mobile casinos also usually run the best fraud prevention software which keeps your account details and funds in safe hands at all times. You can visit a mobile casino directly from Android device or directly from your our iPhone or iPad and it is possible to use your device's QR Reader to scan the QR code that you see at an online casino and this will also enable you to access the mobile casino. Don't forget that if you already have an account with the desktop version of an online casino but you want to start playing from your mobile device, you can use the exact same login details without having to open a new account. Once you have signed in to a mobile casino for the every first time, simply click on a game that you like the look of and then it should launch in just seconds. US players can enjoy a variety of mobile slots, table & card games, video pokers, instant win games and much more and some of the best titles to keep an eye out for when playing from your mobile device include Aladdin's Wishes, Blackjack, Builder Beaver, Caesar's Empire, Jackpot Cleopatra's Gold, Count Spectacular, Coyote Cash, Crystal Waters, Naughty or Nice and T-Rex. The Evolution of Mobile Online Casino Gaming in the US is a post from: Good e-Reader

URL: http://goodereader.com/blog/technology/the-evolution-of-mobile-online-casino-gaming-in-the-us