Read an E-Book Month 2012

Choosing an E-Book Reader (Photo credit: Andrew Mason)

Adapted from Mark Coker on the Smashwords site.

Wonderful News: March is now Read an E-book Month in Canada!

By virtue of an Order by the 41st Parliament of Canada, First Session, Motion M-293 was passed declaring the month of March Read an E-Book Month.

The Order reads:

That, in the opinion of the House, the government should: (a) recognize that the ePublishing industry has created economic opportunities for entrepreneurs, authors, publishers and e-reader manufacturers; (b) recognize that e-books present significant benefits for seniors and children; (c) recognize that e-books are an environmentally-friendly alternative to books; (d) declare the month of March as "Read an E-book Month"; (e) support the goals and ideals of "Read an E-book Month; and (f) encourage Canadians to observe "Read an E-book Month".

Canada has taken steps to recognize the innovation of e-book entrepreneurs and the value this new technology brings to society.

Wouldn't it be great if we could have the whole world join in and have a worldwide E-book Month?

Some event sponsors are also doing something special for Read an E-Book Month.

E Ink: Look for contests and exciting factoids on the E Ink Read an E-Book Month Facebook page! Content will be unlocked as each day of the month arrives. They have also set up a website page for the event.

Indigo Book & Music will offer $10.00 off a Kobo WiFi e-reader during Read an E-Book Month.

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E-book Reading Devices

E-books have gone mainstream! The latest announcements on airlines include: "Please turn off all electronic devices, including electronic book readers...." That translates into a home run for e-books. They have arrived!

Of course, e-books can just as easily read on a computer or laptop. That's what the first e-books were created for. But now e-books are more commonly read on e-book reading devices like the iPad, Sony Reader, Kobo, Kindle  and a host of other dedicated devices.

The list of e-book readers, and formats they read in, is growing yearly. The good news is that new technologies make these devices more durable and easier to see in all lighting situations.

E-books can also be read on handheld computers (aka Pocket PCs, or PDAs). These pocket-sized devices are popular with people on the go, and can carry an astounding amount of memory!

Smartphones are combined PDAs and cellphones, and like PDAs, they are great e-book readers for people with long commutes on public transport. Try an e-book on your Nexus One.

Last year during Read an E-Book Week we had a list, and link, to the most popular e-book readers. This year there are simply too many to keep track of. Instead, here's a few great links to learn about e-book readers -- past, present and future!

E-Book Matrix 
Mobileread Wiki for E-book Devices
The eBook Reader Blog
The eBook Reader
eBook Reader Guide
E-book Readers Review
E-Book Reader Comparison

So, if you don't already own one of these devices,  now you can discover which is best for you and go ahead, take the plunge, and find your way to reading more books, often at greatly reduced prices. In fact, many of the classics are available free as ebooks. And taking books on holiday no longer need take up space or weight in your luggage if you have an e-reader; they can often carry up to 1,200 books!