you can't judge a book by its cover.

So my job. The company I work for specializes in software for libraries. Its fancy sophisticated stuff and its opened a whole new world for me (think SEO, API, competitive intelligence and white space sales). If you don't have a clue what those things mean, um, just be grateful. Sometimes knowledge is just more information which = overwhelming. I'm excited for the part where it changes to power! mwahaha. For the time being, let's just settle with the fact that I never knew how much I didn't know. But not to worry, the internet and I have made peace with each other and I spend a lot of time researching and reading about this fascinating new world of which I am now part. I start the morning off reading Library Journal, an industry pub that is the go-to for everything libraries. I know, sexy right? Well, my mind tends to wander tangentially and the internet practically begs me to start down the rabbit hole of links, but every once in a while I discover a gem. Like this particularly insightful interview with Stephen King where he discusses the rise of ebooks and the possible death (gasp!) of books as we know them. (libraries have books...we sell technology...ebooks are a perfectly natural transition, right?)

I'm fascinated by this whole phenomenon. Kindles and Ipads aren't a fad as I initially suspected. I tend to crave nostalgia and tradition, especially as everything seems to change and advance so quickly these days. But then again that's how every passing generation feels I'm sure. But we're talking about books here, books! I love books. Ever since I knew what one was, I loved them. I love to buy them and stack them on my toilet and coffee table and nightstand and stuff them into shelves and read them and look at them...sigh. Love em. And judging by the huge bookstore/library industry, so do a lot of people. How can these digital books ever take over? Is there something inherently necessary about the pages to fulfill the reading experience? Apparently when audio books were introduced, critics claimed that consumers would miss turning the pages, and yet I love listening to a book on tape on a long road trip. I love records too, and yet I prefer my Ipod. What's the difference? (and that's not rhetorical.)

Maybe I've never consciously thought this through, but these are the things that keep me up at night! Well, thinking about things and reading books...But I think I'm onto something. The silver lining to this issue if you will. Stephen King said it simply and profoundly:

"The book is not the important part, the book is the delivery system. The important part is the story and the talent."

I love books, that doesn't have to change. But I love stories, and creativity, and excellent writing, and art and literature more. And none of that will ever be lost thanks to technology. Ebooks won't kill reading. Look what blogs have done to promote documentation of thought and experience. New platforms for creative work just mean more creativity, which can never be a bad thing in my, well, book.

And hey, maybe someday all of these kindles will elevate my set of printed Twilight  books to valuable antique status. We'll add books to the ongoing queue of trendy vintage tchotchke. Pretty sure anthro already incorporates books into its decorating themes when the vibe needs to subtly ooze antiquated but not obsolete.

Ultimately I wonder: How many times do we lose what we really care about in what we think we care about?

Thank you Stephen, for not only scaring the hell out of me all these years, but for teaching me such a thought-provoking lesson.