1988- "I don't want a computer." When my husband said I needed a computer in 1988, I said, "No I don't. I like writing things out by hand."

1989- "Was I crazy?" Turns out cutting and pasting text is a big improvement over copying and recopying things. And it only got better when I went on to use the computer for illustration and design.

1994- "Who would want an e-book?" When I first started to hear about e-books, I said, "No way, I'd never want an e-book. I love the look, feel, and even the smell of a real book. Books need to be physical objects."

2004- "E-books are great." I came to e-books because I wanted to publish them not to read them. In the process, I bought a few. I was nervous as I entered my credit card number and made the transaction. Could this really work? And then in no time at all the book was on my computer. Wow! E-books are not for every kind of book. When I curl up on the couch with a novel, I want it to hold it on my hand and turn the pages. But when I want information, and I want it quickly, e-books are great.


What's so good about an e-book?
◊ Delivery is immediate.
◊ You save shipping costs.
◊ You can make the book work for you.


Susan recommends that you:
◊ Store the downloaded pdf on your computer so that you can find it easily. There will be lots more e-books coming from makingbooks.com so you might want to make a folder just for them.

◊ Open the .pdf document in Adobe Reader, a free application that works on both PCs and Macs. If you don't already have the program on your computer, you can download it for free at www.adobe.com.

◊ Print out the book. The cover can be printed in color but the rest of the book is black and white. If you're a teacher, you may want to print it at school.

◊ Punch the pages with a three-hole punch.

◊ Place the pages in a binder. A view binder works best. You can slip the cover into the clear front panel.

◊ Make the book work for you. After you make a project with your class, keep your notes in the binder. As the projects become springboards for new ideas, keep track of them in the binder. Keep a record of completed projects with photographs of student work. Add pockets for miscellaneous materials and notes. If you have a large binder, you can insert sheet protectors with model books for reference inside.




© 1999-2006 Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord
skgaylord@makingbooks.com
www.makingbooks.com

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