E-book Etiquette?

[Meadow337]

Hey at least you and Roxbrough get them back! I have had too many disappear completely. I'm a very reluctant lender.

 

[Roxbrough]

That's one of the reasons why I try and avoid lending books out to people, I don't mind family members reading them, but I'd get so annoyed if I lent one to a friend and got it back all dog-eared and what not.

I know what you mean, in this one case I have to make an exception, the friend would do anything for me and in the past has literally saved me from personal danger. I try and tell myself that the book is still readable and our friendship is more important than a book.
Hey, the reply means you have started reading again, even if it's only text; well done you.

 

[Peder]

Interesting isn't it how differently we feel about some one looking at our e-reader but not our book. I think of my e-reader as both a book and library in one. How do we feel about people looking at our bookshelves? Is that also a step too far? Or is it OK because every one does it? If I had a book shelf (shelves) of books they would be the same books I have on my reader. So why is the idea of some one looking at it without asking stepping into my personal space but the same person taking a gander at my bookshelves would be OK?

Well, there were colleagues of mine for whom I found it to be definitely not OK. When I asked one about his interest in my books, he said he was looking to see who had what books so he could know where to borrow them. Considering my hard and fast rule not to lend my books out -- because it was proven to be a good way to lose them forever -- I was not impressed. At the office, my books all show my initials on their spine. I have a small rubber stamp for the purpose.

/s/ SuperGrouch.

 

[Meadow337]

I know what you mean, in this one case I have to make an exception, the friend would do anything for me and in the past has literally saved me from personal danger. I try and tell myself that the book is still readable and our friendship is more important than a book.
Hey, the reply means you have started reading again, even if it's only text; well done you.

This would be a good exception to the no lending rule.

Well, there were colleagues of mine for whom I found it to be definitely not OK. When I asked one about his interest in my books, he said he was looking to see who had what books so he could know where to borrow them. Considering my hard and fast rule not to lend my books out -- because it was proven to be a good way to lose them forever -- I was not impressed. At the office, my books all show my initials on their spine. I have a small rubber stamp for the purpose.

/s/ SuperGrouch.

Aah in that case - yes I think I would also not be all that impressed, but in general it is kind of OK to take a peek at some one's books. Even if we all know we/they are doing to see what kind of person we/they are. We are what we read

I found marking my books as mine didn't really help me get them back at least you can't lend e-books LOL Well at least not legally anyway.

 

[Sparhawk]

I would be ok up to a point with people looking at my personal library, but it is odd how we feel differently about it when it our Readers. Maybe it is because a book is always somehow just a thing that I can go to a book store and get another one (yes this is only for normal books not those rare and indangered species of books) but you put so much care and time into loading books onto your reader and time looking for just the right one for you. It seems like more of an investment of oneself than with a book?

 

[pontalba]

I think there are actually three separate items/issues here. Book and electronic reader, for two. Not one and the same. If a person notices and asks what I'm reading in public it doesn't bother me. I might even offer the book to them to peruse for a moment. But I'd object if they simply picked it up from a table next to me, or from the arm of my chair. I'd object even more strongly if they did the same with an e-reader. An e-reader, whether it is a kindle or i-pad, costs a pretty penny and why should I trust that person not to drop it, or even attempt to walk away with it. Or, even attempt to access something else on the machine. I'd consider that is an invasion of personal space and everyone has different parameters.

Now, if someone that visits our home starts examining our books, that's great! In fact, I'd consider them odd if they didn't.

 

[Sneezy]

Now, if someone that visits our home starts examining our books, that's great! In fact, I'd consider them odd if they didn't.

My father was fond of saying that you could judge a man's character by the wear and nature of his library.

 

[Meadow337]

I think there are actually three separate items/issues here. Book and electronic reader, for two. Not one and the same. If a person notices and asks what I'm reading in public it doesn't bother me. I might even offer the book to them to peruse for a moment. But I'd object if they simply picked it up from a table next to me, or from the arm of my chair. I'd object even more strongly if they did the same with an e-reader. An e-reader, whether it is a kindle or i-pad, costs a pretty penny and why should I trust that person not to drop it, or even attempt to walk away with it. Or, even attempt to access something else on the machine. I'd consider that is an invasion of personal space and everyone has different parameters.

Now, if someone that visits our home starts examining our books, that's great! In fact, I'd consider them odd if they didn't.

I think that is the core of the issue. Why is a collection of electronic books suddenly classified as private, but the same collection of physical books is not. That is the core question.

My father was fond of saying that you could judge a man's character by the wear and nature of his library.

Indeed LOL and this is why we look, which is why it is strange that it is so acceptable to do, but the barriers go up when its your e-reader.

I'm aware of the dichotomy within myself. E-reader private, shelf of books not, and yet THEY ARE THE SAME BOOKS! (or would be)

 

[Sneezy]

I am the same way, although until now I had never really thought about why. I wonder if the fear of malicious intent we have learned regarding computers and cell phones has splashed across all things electronic in our minds.

 

[Meadow337]

I am the same way, although until now I had never really thought about why. I wonder if the fear of malicious intent we have learned regarding computers and cell phones has splashed across all things electronic in our minds.

I wonder if you haven't hit on it.

 

[Sparhawk]

I am the same way, although until now I had never really thought about why. I wonder if the fear of malicious intent we have learned regarding computers and cell phones has splashed across all things electronic in our minds.

As Meadow said, you may have found the problem.

 

[Peder]

I don't know any electronic devices of mine that I wouldn't care about. They all cost money -- mine.
I keep mine close, just like my wallet. Not to mention personal information and identity theft.

 

[Meadow337]

I don't know any electronic devices of mine that I wouldn't care about. They all cost money -- mine.
I keep mine close, just like my wallet. Not to mention personal information and identity theft.

Yes but that's not an issue with an e-reader is it? The worst they can access is your bookstore subscription. (I am a person who doesn't do anything fancy with mine - all the useless extra features are turned off.) My phone - different story. Computer HANDS OFF! LOL.

And yet ..... your sticky mitts on my reader I'm going to ask 'What the ... are you doing?' but now that feeling seems illogical and yet there it is.

 

[Sparhawk]

I to would be suspicious if I saw someone happily paging through my reader, but on thinking past the first reaction what would they really find on it? At worst they might find out that I have an odd and eclectic collection of books but that is nothing really, so why the reaction of instant suspicion and hands-off-ness?

 

[Peder]

I to would be suspicious if I saw someone happily paging through my reader, but on thinking past the first reaction what would they really find on it? At worst they might find out that I have an odd and eclectic collection of books but that is nothing really, so why the reaction of instant suspicion and hands-off-ness?

I guess we have different experiences of losing books, purses snatched, spam sent in our name from stolen contacts, and reading different articles about identity theft and secure passwords. I also lock my front door when I leave my house, and my car in the parking lot (which still did not prevent a breakin). Shopped in Target lately?

 

[Sparhawk]

LOL nope as I am not in America and we don't have Traget here

 

[pontalba]

My father was fond of saying that you could judge a man's character by the wear and nature of his library.

Your father was a smart man.

I to would be suspicious if I saw someone happily paging through my reader, but on thinking past the first reaction what would they really find on it? At worst they might find out that I have an odd and eclectic collection of books but that is nothing really, so why the reaction of instant suspicion and hands-off-ness?

Depends on the e-reader one owns. We have Kindle Fires, and that in turn has our email and Amazon accounts on it. And the device ain't cheap.

 

[Karen C]

If someone asked if they could have a look, maybe because they'd never seen or used one before, then I would probably let them as long as it was someone I knew. It would be a definite NO if it was a complete stranger... I might, however, show them myself rather than handing it over to them.

But if a random stranger was to just pick it up then there would be hell to pay... although to be honest I don't see that ever happening really because I wouldn't just leave it laying around to begin with.

 

[Conscious Bob]

What do you think? Is there a new etiquette with e-books? How do you politely take a peek and see what the person is reading? And where is the line between OK and being nosy with some one else's device? Is this killing a conversation starter or does it just create a new conversation?

I don't see how you can take a polite peek at an ebook while someone's reading it like you say the content isn't apparent from the cover.

 

[Meadow337]

hmm my book cover is a lurid purple ... does that suggest something?