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Exhibition Essay There are few objects of more importance to the history of civilization than the book. Welcome to an exhibition celebrating the book's latest evolution, the eBook or electronic book (as opposed to the pBook or printed book). What you're seeing now is an early developmental stage of a growing resource at McKendree College's Holman Library. When I first proposed the eBook project three years ago, eBooks were rarely discussed outside of a small group of computer scientists, business persons, academics, creative artists and writers. What a difference a couple of years make. Now the literature, both scholarly and popular, is filled with eBook references and the mass market advertising has taken hold. The eBook world is transforming the lives of our students. Early last year, one of our petite students came into the Library weighted down by a backpack full of textbooks and tools for her school day. I thought she was going to hurt herself just getting through the Library's front door. She asked for my help at the Reference Desk in using our online catalog to find a recent book on morality in schools. I dutifully instructed her in using keyword searches and limiting the results to the most recent publications. We immediately pulled up a 2000 publication entitled, Education and the Soul. There was no call number listed, but it did include a netLibrary link, <http://www.netLibrary.com/summary.asp?id=44112>. The publication was one of our 1500 eBooks provided by netLibrary. She loved it! And, in fact, she preferred the opportunity of instantly reading the text online and excerpting it as she pleased. The studies have demonstrated that each new class that joins an institution of higher education prefers and trusts anything that appears electronically over traditional printed texts. Complain or dismiss this notion all you want, but the revolution is on. Actually, it's over, and you may feel you lost. For faculty,
scholarly communication is being digitally transformed into a world of producers
and consumers. When we write,
illustrate, orchestrate, etc., now more than ever before, we are all part of the
“union of content creators.” The most successful eBooks and e'text'Books of
the future will be those that take advantage of the multimedia capabilities, one
distinct advantage over any printed book. Unfortunately, when we want content we did not create or author, some of us act beyond fair use as
"pirates," ignoring copyright, digital
rights and assets. A few individuals would tell you the art world I'm praising is merely eye candy. Untrue! It is a colorful void filled with stained glass flickerings that unite words and pictures and sound and motion. It is hauntingly ethereal. Turn off the machine and the work is gone. Welcome to my
fascinating world of hypercard, net art, hypertext, book art,
hypernarrative, digital art and hyperfiction. I've tried to arrange
the exhibition so there is something for everyone, from the individual with only
a casual interest to those who want to experience the cutting edge. I'm proud to
introduce you to a few creative minds who have already reached a high level of
accomplishment. Whether you are a librarian, teaching faculty member, student,
artist, writer or technophobe, your familiar “book” world is rapidly
changing, whether you participate or not. Enjoy the show. |
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