Why We Won’t Purchase More Kindles at the Unquiet Library

In the article, Why We Won’t purchase More Kindles at the Unquiet Library, the author talks about why their school library has decided to use the Barnes and Nobel Nook simple touch in their integration of eReaders, instead of the Amazon Kindle which they had been previously using. The reason for the switch was due to a change in the License Agreement. Where previously K-12 and school libraries could have multiple kindles on one account, allowing books to be shared, Amazon now required that each kindle have it’s own account. Requiring that each kindle must have the book downloaded and paid for separately. Although Amazon was working to set something up with and website called Overdrive.com, this website requires the purchase of a subscription that most school libraries will not be able to afford. Amazon said that they were working on a backend management tool that would be helpful to schools, however it would not be available for several months. The author also felt that it would not be comparable to what was already being offered by the Barnes and Nobel Nook.

As a future educator, I see the great problem with this new standard. For schools to have to purchase each kindle and then purchase the books for each kindle separately is costly. It also causes problems with simply keeping up with the kindles, making sure they all have the same books. The Barnes and Nobel nook on the other had, already has a system in place for how schools can manage their numerous nooks on one account. I agree with the librarian’s decision to switch from the kindle to the nook on the basis that the nooks are more user friendly for schools.