Obama to Announce Free E-Books for Low-Income Kids

[applegrove]

Obama to Announce Free E-Books for Low-Income Kids

http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/gadgets/obama-announce-free-e-books-low-income-kids-n351101

"SNIP..............


Working with publishers and libraries, the White House sees the modest plan as part of a strategy to address inner city problems by increasing educational opportunities for kids -- woes brought into focus with recent riots in nearby Baltimore.

Kids will need computers and devices to read the e-books. Jeff Zients, Obama's top economic adviser, noted the White House had previously announced programs to upgrade Internet services for schools and libraries, with private sector help from companies including Apple, which pledged $100 million in devices to low-income schools.

"If we're serious about living up to what our country is about, then we have to consider what we can do to provide opportunities in every community, not just when they're on the front page, but every day," Zients said in a briefing with reporters.

The plan includes $250 million in e-book commitments from publishers, including from the five major publishing houses: Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Hachette, and HarperCollins.

[riderinthestorm]

1. Love this. Books were my sanctuary as a child. Big K&R nt

[fadedrose]

38. Saved me from the insanity...

[elleng]

2. Computers and devices will NOT be sufficiently available.

Kids need BOOKS, and others with which they can READ books!



NO f'ing change! We're f'ed, JUST what repugs want.

[Laffy Kat]

17. Right? I heard this on NPR today and was disturbed.

So many houses do not have access to either a computer or Internet subscription. Don't think the Gov. is going to be handing Nooks to every child who needs one.

[elleng]

20. And, an aside,

I'm happy my grandbabies are interested in BOOKS, they're 1 1/2 years and 9 months old, and go to their book cases and ask their parents to read to them. Of course, when they're little they chew on their books, so we get them chewable versions.

I realize all families don't do this, but its better than Lives with Devices, imo.

[Cha]

22. Well, you have to read the article..

The Obama administration can't simply give a computer or tablet to every kid who wants to read an e-book. But it has made it a priority to get broadband into just about every public school and library by 2018.

The nation's chief technology officer, Megan Smith, says part of the plan involves "really leveraging libraries as a third place; if families don't have access to devices at home, the children can get to the library and [get in] that habit."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2015/04/30/403273087/the-plan-to-give-e-books-to-poor-kids

[Laffy Kat]

24. Ok. But I still think books are better.

Reading electronically is bad for kids' eyes and not nearly as relaxing. I also read recently (of course I can't remember where) that electronic reading stimulates a different part of one's brain than do books. Still, I agree that digital books are better than none at all. I guess I could change my opinion about this. At least it's an admirable effort on the administration's part.

[Butterbean]

19. That was my very first thought....

Yeah, great...free e-books. To be viewed....where? Because all underprivileged kids have tablets, kindles, and home computers.

[elleng]

21. Yup.

[Cha]

23. Where? This explains it..

snip//

"The Obama administration can't simply give a computer or tablet to every kid who wants to read an e-book. But it has made it a priority to get broadband into just about every public school and library by 2018.

The nation's chief technology officer, Megan Smith, says part of the plan involves "really leveraging libraries as a third place; if families don't have access to devices at home, the children can get to the library and [get in] that habit."

MOre
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2015/04/30/403273087/the-plan-to-give-e-books-to-poor-kids

[LordGlenconner]

77. Save your breath

These people can't stand the president and will pillory everything he does, because that's what they do.

Really disgusting that they'd pick this subject to use as a bludgeon.

[Cha]

78. Thanks for your astute comment, LG!

[KittyWampus]

68. Ever hear of "Libraries"? They have books. Lots of them. And most have reading hours

[PowerToThePeople]

3. how about real books?

https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html

[applegrove]

5. Perhaps a walk to the library is not so easy in bad neighbourhoods. This way a kid, who was

interested in reading and had access to a device, could become a reader independently, not reliant on anyone to take them to the library.

[PowerToThePeople]

8. and how does a real book not do the same? n/t

[riderinthestorm]

10. You can download e-books without going to the library. Any time of the day

You don't need a parent to take you. You can read many books at a time without having to carry that weight.

There's so many positives.

Don't get me wrong, I love a printed book but this will be a great addition.

It's not either/or for me.

[freshwest]

14. Many schools are giving the kids these device and laptops instead of text books.

And libraries are nowhere near as plentiful as they once were. So it makes sense, but the old style in me wants paper.

But paper kills trees and costs of lot in transportation whereas the electronic books are virtually cost free and can be downloaded to use in anything.

If one must have paper, they can print it out. But that is a LOT of paper!

[PowerToThePeople]

34. It is a bad thing

It is a right wing tactic to take ownership of the sum of human knowledge. Knowledge that should not be owned but available to everyone.

[Cha]

4. And, they pledged to upgrade internet services for schools and libraries. Help from Apple for $100

Million!

Thanks Obama! mahalo apple!

[applegrove]

7. Hey Cha!

[Cha]

11. ..

[TM99]

6. I have mixed feelings about this.

Education and reading are very important.

And this also looks like another privatization neo-liberal scheme.

You need a device to read an eBook. Instead of looking at lower priced eReaders, they are looking at partnering with Apple. And iPad is overkill for reading. We also saw how poorly it worked out in the LA County school districts the partnership between Pearson, Apple, and the district.

Here is a suggestion for these publishers. Release to the public domain eBooks of the classics of literature, art, science, philosophy, and religion. Don't charge us for the works of Plato or Tolstoy.

[tblue37]

58. I have downloaded many such classics for free. Gutenberg.org and many other sites

make them available. Right now I am rereading Thoorstein Veblen's The Theory of the Leisure Class on the Gutenberg site:

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/833/833-h/833-h.htm

It is also free in epub form if you wan to download it. Many of the classics are free to read either online or downloaded.

[TM99]

62. There are some for sure.

There are not enough.

[lovemydog]

9. That's fantastic.

I have zero mixed feelings or criticisms about this.

Reading kicks ass.

[Cha]

12. I know.. Apple's upgrading computers in schools and libraries..Obama wants to increase educational

opportunities for inner city kids. And, of course, it has to be a "neoliberal scheme".

[lovemydog]

13. There are going to be voracious readers coming out of this Cha.

I feel great about it. Imagine all the reading that will be at their fingertips! (I'm just not that interested in the criticisms and the hemming and hawing, it makes me throw up, roflmao.)

[freshwest]

15. And the park passes for free will encourage kids to have a chance to experience nature.

[lovemydog]

16. Wow, I didn't even see that part. Thanks for mentioning

it, my pal freshwest! One of my favorite charities is the fresh air fund, via the NY Times. Helping kids get out of the city and experience nature. I knew a kid in Harlem a while back (I was doing social work there). He visited upstate New York and fell in love with nature. He would joke that he was a farmer born in a city. Guess what? He moved upstate and sees cows & nature all the time now. I haven't spoken with him in a while but last I heard he was doing trail rides with horses. This is great. Free park passes. Someone's (more than one!) life will be changed. Expanding opportunities. Changing things up. Getting people in to parks. All good.

[Cha]

25. National Parks Pass: Obama's 'Every Kid In A Park' Program Gives Fourth Graders, Families Free

Admission For A Year


A youngster walks along the banks of the Merced River, in view of El Capitan (L) and Bridalveil Fall (R) in Yosemite National Park in California in 2009. President Barack Obama will announce Thursday that fourth graders can visit national parks for free starting this fall.

http://www.ibtimes.com/national-parks-pass-obamas-every-kid-park-program-gives-fourth-graders-families-free-1821518

This cool initiative!.. mahalo fresh~

[freshwest]

29. It can also let a new generation see the value of these parks instead of giving them to Bundy types.

Obama ALWAYS thinks long term. Same as the Keystone delay and then the veto at the end.

He knew the Koches were going to be richer with the tax-free $100B, doubling their current wealth of he same amount. Amd endangering electoral democracy since the GOP won CU.

He called them out at last year's WHPC Dinner and he sure did tick off a off of the Koch lapdog media this year.

Just Bucket!

[Cha]

36. Yes, he does think long term.. good point. Our National Parks are a gift from Nature and the people

who are care-givers of our beautiful land.

So get out there and see them, kids, and take your parents with ya!

[Cha]

18. Glad someone else feels that way..lol Yes, there's going to be great opportunites for these kids..

That's what is important.. the kids, lovemydog.


President Obama announced an initiative to give e-books to low-income students while visiting the Anacostia Library in Washington on Thursday

snip//

"The Obama administration can't simply give a computer or tablet to every kid who wants to read an e-book. But it has made it a priority to get broadband into just about every public school and library by 2018.

The nation's chief technology officer, Megan Smith, says part of the plan involves "really leveraging libraries as a third place; if families don't have access to devices at home, the children can get to the library and [get in] that habit."

MOre
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2015/04/30/403273087/the-plan-to-give-e-books-to-poor-kids

I bet he'd like to give every kid a computer and internet access!

[lovemydog]

27. My sister is a children's librarian.

She's gonna love this. She loves helping kids read. She loves President Obama too. We always say 'We have his back.'

[Cha]

32. And, my sister teaches kids and has the President's back, too! Cool your sister is a children's

librarian.. what a wonderful job!

[lovemydog]

35. We've got cool sisters Cha!

Yeah, she likes it. She often tells me funny stories about it. Maybe having cool sisters helps make us more friendly.

[Cha]

39. I bet they think they have cool siblings, too..

[lovemydog]

43. I think they just might.

[applegrove]

30. They need an app that will count up all the pages (then

books when they get older) that each kid has read and post it somewhere. I have a friend who runs a lending book library that does just that for kids. She get a good number of kids hooked on reading every year. She gives out rewards at functions every year to every child. Because anyone who reads, at no matter what the pace, deserves to be recognized. It makes it fun. And really makes the accomplishment sink in.

[lovemydog]

44. That's a great idea. One that lists all the books they've read as well.

And make it really fun to use.

[applegrove]

51. Yeah and maybe they could talk online with each other

about the books they love. Build another community for kids.

[lovemydog]

52. Great ideas.

I like the way you think.

[kentauros]

31. Then you'd probably love this, too:

BiblioTech is an all ebook library, started in San Antonio, Texas. The nation's first all electronic library, here in backwater, third-world country Texas (as far too many DUers still like to think of us.) Started over a year and a half ago, it's doing even better than when it began, and it serves their entire community.

I remember the news about it when it opened and that they were saying they'd be loaning out devices so all kids/adults would have equal access. And then I noticed at my local library that Houston Public Library was doing that, too (I could get a laptop on loan, like checking out a book!)

So, with Obama's program of free ebooks, and adding on Joe Konrath's plan of getting more authors available through libraries versus the existing "Overdrive" method, I think this nation's kids will do all right in getting library access

[lovemydog]

42. Thanks kentauros!

What do you use as an ebook device? I'm thinking about getting a kindle, wanted to see what you like. Reading kicks ass.

[kentauros]

47. I have an older Kindle Keyboard.

I don't know what version they called that (have to look it up.) But I've got tens of books on it, mostly unread or unfinished (typical of me ) Then again, most of my physical books are either unread or unfinished in reading. At least with the Kindle, I can carry around all of those unread and unfinished books and never need a dolly to help me carry them all, just in case I might open one up and finish reading it

Now, I do have another friend that has one of the more recent version of the Kindle with the "Paperwhite" light function. He showed it to me and it isn't full screen as advertised because the 'e-ink' technology isn't an LCD and isn't backlit. That's why it works well in sunlight or other bright light sources, unlike LED/LCD screen technology. It also truly looks like printed ink on a page. It doesn't look like a screen or seem like it other than the fact that it's not a physical book, either

[lovemydog]

49. I've been looking at the kindle paperwhite.

Looks pretty cool. Thanks.

[kentauros]

50. It's probably still one of the best types.

I think he was just a little disappointed that the lighting wasn't as complete as depicted in the ads. I'd probably still use a 150w lightbulb at my side anyway

Well, I'll have a look back at this thread in the morning. I'm just happy my fingers haven't made too many mistakes in typing through my fuzzy, cold-infested mind. Off to work in six hours!

[freshwest]

54. My problem with Kindle is it doesn't take the pdf format, AFAIK. Has that changed?

And can you use it to edit a WIP you are creating or if it only for commerically produced books?

Does it require monthly fees for internet access and such?

Most of my ebooks are classics I had a hard time finding online. I doubt they are available commerically. I don't want to buy any, except for a Kindle copy of DFW's excellent sci-fi, history and romance and all a lot of other things that I have the draft copy of in paper.

It's really hard for a regular person to get a book published as it needs a lot of money. For some, the Amazon Kindle selection is fine. Although I suspect I will not be able to afford anything for some years. If ever.

Wish I could move down to the beach in Tejas again, because it's so much cheaper to live, but I have lifelong obligations here.

[kentauros]

56. I found one method, and I don't know if it will work or not,

as I don't have a Dropbox account. When I do, I'll give a try as I also have some PDFs I'd like to read properly on my Kindle. (PDF to Kindle via Dropbox)

Alternately, you can download the freeware program Calibre and convert your PDFs to mobi files (the Kindle proprietary format.) It works fairly well, but has difficulty with images and when people combine imagery and text.

I took my gf down to Galveston when she was here, and she loved it! She'd go out early in the mornings shooting pics of houses mostly, because she'd never seen so many old homes all in one place. Nor seen so many abandoned, either. Ike's mark is still visible down there...

[freshwest]

60. I know Galeston is nothing like it was, but I have family there and could live much better. I always

made going to the beach there part of my life, either weekly or less, or sometimes on the weekend. Visited it since the days as they were finishing the seawall.

A number of places I used to visit have been restored. And it's not as hot as the rest of the state and the sight of the Gulf always made me at peace. Up here some who knows what decided once upon a time to give most of the beach to private owners. So while you can see water all over the place, that's all you get to do.

There are some beach parks and lakes that e are quite popular, but crowded. When I lived in Big H, if I was troubled at times I'd drive to Gal anytime of the day or night to watch that water. Of course the entire state has changed so much since I moved, and since I was a kid, that the old saying 'You can't go home again' definitely fits.

But the 'free market' rental thing here now is driving a lot of people out of town and I really can't handle much more than I am doing now in the way of driving. So I am trapped here. And there are those obligations which can't be met in Tejas.

Fine days down there at one time...

And thanks very much for the info, I'm going to check that out for the day that I can get one.

But you definitely can't edit the material, right?

[kentauros]

66. Sounds like you need a short respite here, anyway ;)

As for editing material on a Kindle, I have put my own stuff on it before, and if you email yourself at your Kindle account, whatever you put in that email turns into a document on your Kindle. I just do a conversion through Calibre and manually load it through my computer and a mini-USB cable, works just the same. (I think it will also convert mobi files to other formats, too.)

So, try the free software and then read your own words on your own Kindle, before anyone else does!

[KMOD]

26. It's a nice gesture,

but I prefer real books.

[lovemydog]

28. Hey, no one asked ya!

Just kidding KMOD. This will help a lot of kids learn to read & love reading. I like real books too. I tried a kindle a while back & liked it a lot. May get one some day.

[KMOD]

37. lol

I'm a huge advocate of reading. I spent years volunteering in the elementary school library. The biggest trick was always finding books the kids would actually be interested in reading. My son hated reading until he discovered the Harry Potter series when he was in fourth grade.

[lovemydog]

40. Oh yeah, Harry Potter got so many kids into reading!

I didn't read those books but I know it was quite a phenomenon. That you for volunteering in the elementary school library KMOD. I bet you someone was inspired by you to read more. I love books, I'm always reading at least one and sometimes two at a time. Right now I'm reading a history of the Black Panther movement and a Simpsons comics collection. I like changing things up, lol.

[KMOD]

45. It was so much fun watching the kids come in and helping them find

books they would be interested in reading.

Kids love the library. I loved volunteering there.

[lovemydog]

46. Yeah, my sister loves it too.

I was pleasantly surprised when she told me libraries are still thriving. I had a fear that they would disappear. But people love getting information and if they are comfortable and friendly they love hanging out there too.

[Cha]

33. MOre than a "gesture".. quite helpful to these kids.

[KMOD]

41. Of course it is.

I just like real books.

My oldest daughter has her masters in English Lit. Years ago I thought a Kindle would be an awesome gift. She made me return it. She loves the feel and the handling of the actual books.

Now, that's just her and me of course. If a kid can find interest in reading through a kindle, that's great! I'm pro anything to get kids interested in reading, whether it's comic books, magazines, anything.

But I do believe there is a good benefit to having real books provided to children. It's just different, when you can actually hold it in your hand. That's all.

[Cha]

48. Yes, I read real books myself at the beach. I'm not going to be getting any device to read online..

that's where I watch movies.

Just so happy the President is trying to get educational opportunities out there for inner city kids on a larger scale!

[SheilaT]

53. Explain to me again what's so wrong with real books?

They don't require a power source. They don't require access to the internet. They are always there. They won't change if formatting of some sort changes. Or if an EMP happens, the real books will still work.

[applegrove]

55. You can lend out 100,000 copies of "I'll love you forever"

at one time with ebooks. The choices are much more plentiful. Unlimited. For sure paper books will still be bought or loaned out. It is just that you can scale it up with ebooks.

[SheilaT]

59. Really? I keep on reading that

ebooks can't be passed on to other readers, and that they can be arbitrarily taken from you if there's something hinky about the copyright or some such.

[Iris]

63. No you can't. publishers and database vendors put restrictions on the number of copies that can be

Accessed at one time.

[Bluenorthwest]

67. The publisher can. Printing 100,000 copies costs lots of money, the e-copies do not. It makes a

big difference. The cost of printing is in itself a restriction.

[Iris]

79. They don't care. They still restrict the copies. n/t

[kentauros]

72. If this guy's idea is successful,

you're likely to see even the legacy publishers remove their limits (eventually. After the pulling of many teeth.)

Joe Konrath - Ebooks Are Forever

[applegrove]

57. What a win win. The publishers provide books in data

form that costs them nothing, they give the ebooks to kids who may not be buying a ton of books otherwise, and they create a generation of lifelong readers who will then buy the publishers' books when said kids become adults for 50 years. Great market making.

[Lyric]

61. Awesome. Now just hand out free Kindles and internet and we're golden

[merrily]

64. Sounds good!

[Doctor_J]

65. love it

I don't think too much of the president's many corporate/mic giveaways, but this is free, modern, outside the box...brilliant

[Vinca]

69. This sounds like a good program, but I'm kind of sad to see "book books" go by the wayside.

[kentauros]

75. There will always be a place for physical books.

However, I doubt many will mourn the demise of physical copies of romance novels, horror books, and every other genre packed into your average grocery aisle and airport. Only the legacy publishers would, while the authors go independent, get higher royalty payments, and faster (one month wait time versus eighteen months.)

Personally, I would love to be able to have all of my cookbooks and other reference books (gardening, herbology, food science) digitized for fast and easy use. Not to mention saving a few hundred pounds in shipping costs the next time I move

[Scurrilous]

70. K & R

[Pooka Fey]

71. Real books are better for kids, especially the young ones

Last edited Fri May 1, 2015, 11:23 AM - Edit history (1)

as real books have editors and publishing houses that check for correct spelling and grammar. For kid's books, the tactile quality of real (i.e. printed on paper) books is important as are the illustrations, which stimulate young imaginations.

I have had a Kindle paperwhite for 2 years, and a regular Kindle before that. I read several hours each day, and subscribe to Kindle Unlimited which allows me to access a large library for $10 per month - mostly self-published E-books.

Self published E-books are 85% garbage, overflowing with spelling and grammatical errors, stuffed with unnecessary and redundant text to increase book length. The paragraph formatting is also usually garbage. I decided to stop paying for E-books, unless they are published by a legitimate known publishing company. Every now and then, I stumble upon a book that makes the $10 monthly fee worthwhile, so I keep the service - but only because I travel and the Kindle is convenient for reading on a train or an airplane.

I have seen people put a self-published book on the market that looks like a 1st draft of a junior high school essay. This is a direct consequence of Kindle, E-books, and Amazon, whose only interest is to make money and eliminate the very necessary role of the traditional book publisher. Amazon could care less about the quality of the books our children read.

Since most of our literacy comes from reading, the quality of the text that our children read matters. I grew up reading books put out by publishing companies. I want future generations to have access to the same print quality that I enjoyed as a child.

When I was a child, there were Children's Book Clubs that allowed me to receive new illustrated books mailed monthly to our home for a very small monthly fee. I would prefer to see free book club memberships for kids, subsidized by the government.

[kentauros]

73. You mean a printed book, right?

Because an ebook is just as real as a printed book. If, somehow, an ebook isn't real, then everything on my Kindle is imaginary, I've spent a buttload of money on literally nothing, and everything I've learned from reading those unreal books hasn't actually helped me at all

[Pooka Fey]

74. I just updated my post to elaborate on why I dislike E-books.

[kentauros]

76. I see.

However, without needing to read all of that, I posit the fact that smart authors do pay for good (i.e., "real&quot editors, graphic artists, formatters, and even marketers before putting their e-manuscript to market. Only the ones wanting something for little/nothing put out a product without getting everything else checked.

Plus, even the legacy publishers fail authors in the same ways. There are horror stories from both sides of the fence. I guess it just depends on your personal priorities when it comes to publishing and reading. Mine side with independents and ebooks