Irregular ebook update

There has been a considerable amount of discussion regarding ebooks and libraries in the past year.  There has been the usual and perpetual speculation about whether or not libraries (particularly public libraries) will disappear now that books are so easy to buy.  And while these are serious issues needing serious discussion, I have yet to hear serious answers that address the fundamental problem at the base of the ebook "revolution".

What is the fundamental problem?  It is an old one, one that first arose in a big way with the computer / Internet revolution: The economic divide that continues to grow in this country.  In library and electronics age terms, this has always been called "the digital divide" and libraries have acted to this point as the bridge.  With the surge in ebooks, the "haves" will continue to be able to acquire the tools (readers) and purchase the access or content and the "have nots" will continue to have to rely on other sources, like public libraries, to help them keep up, even if they do purchase their own reading device.

A news report from Library Journal covering the recent BookExpo America (BEA) sums this issue up nicely.  I think that there is common ground and a vested interest for all of us in making sure that information is available to all in this country.  I don't know exactly where we will end up, I wish I did (since a little savvy investing could then allow me to retire early!)  But I believe there is a role for libraries in the shift toward ebooks, and I believe at least part of that role will still be that of  a great equalizer.