This exciting conference is happening on Long Island May 5, 2016

Please click here to view the 2016 Programs at a Glance

Below are the 2016 Programs:

First Session:  9am to 10am

Sponsoring Committee: NCLA Support Staff

Title:                        Managing Thought, the Key to Being at Your Best Everyday

Location:                 Salons 1, 2, 3

Arranger(s):           Connie Stanga

Bestselling author Jim Ryan will discuss things such as: happiness comes before success, self awareness, the nature of thought, your happiness quotient, the placebo effect, gratitude is the place to start and visualization. With quotes, humor, anecdotes and song, this program will have you leaving excited about the possibilities of living a happy joy-filled life! As library workers, we need to be at our best every day. Each one is the face of the library as we interact with patrons. This program will offer practical strategies to do just that.

Speaker:
Jim Ryan, Bestselling author of Simple Happiness: 52 Easy Ways to Lighten Up, has a BA in French from Iona College and an MS in Counseling from Queens College. He has also appeared on numerous radio and TV shows.

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Sponsoring Committee:  NCLA Computers and Technology Committee &
NCLA Pop Culture Committee

Title:                    Minecraft Basics 

Location:             Salons 4, 5, 6

Arrangers:          James Hutter & Laura Giunta

Have you heard about the gaming phenomena known as Minecraft, but have no clue what it is? Learn the basics of Minecraft, including definitions, gameplay options and more! We will explain the different versions of Minecraft, share event ideas and convince you that Minecraft is a terrific tool for any library looking to increase services to kids and teens. Bring your questions or experiences to the discussion!

Speaker(s):
James Hutter: Chairperson of NCLA Computers & Technology Committee, Westbury Public Library
Lisa Zuena: NCLA Pop Culture Committee Member, Massapequa Public Library
Jessica Breitman: NCLA Pop Culture Committee Member, Bellmore Public Library
James Hartmann: NCLA Computers & Technology Committee Member, Hewlett-Woodmere
Public Library

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Sponsoring Committee:  Half Hollow Hills Community Library & Alzheimer’s Association LI Chapter 

Title:                     Crowd-pleasing Memory Programs

Location:             Salons 7, 8, 9, 10

Arranger(s):      Catherine Given, Virginia Pisciotta, &
                                Kate Anastasia                                                

Our four memory-themed programs address adults’ memory issues, from everyday forgetfulness to dementia, and help alleviate caregivers’ isolation and despair.

• Memory Fitness: weekly at the library. Ginny Pisciotta founded and runs this. Seniors challenge their brains through puzzles, games and other activities. It’s open to everyone, including those with dementia. We also have a circulating memory care collection with books, DVDs, CDs, puzzles and games for all ability levels.
• Memory Café: Monthly at a restaurant. Our partners, The LI Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, pay for the restaurant’s buffet, in a dining room provided free by the owner. Attendees dine, dance and sing along to our karaoke tunes and CDs. Last month we hosted over 50 people.
• Music and Memory: Our library offers therapeutic, lifetime-loaned iPods for patrons’ family members affected by dementia.
• The Alzheimer’s Association: provides 8-week, hour-long sessions in the library. People with early-stage Alzheimer’s partake in activities led by a recreational therapist, while their caregivers in an adjoining room attend a support group lead by the Association’s Program Director.

Speaker(s):
Catherine Given, Outreach Coordinator/Reference Librarian, Half Hollow Hills Community Library
Virginia Pisciotta, Reference Department Library Assistant, Half Hollow Hills Community Library
Helen Crosson, Executive Director, Half Hollow Hills Community Library
Melissa Gallagher, Program Specialist, CRTS, CDP, Alzheimer’s Association LI Chapter

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Sponsoring Committee:  SCLA New Adult Committee  

Title:                    Reimagining Library Design to Foster the Millennial Experience

Location:            Salons 11, 12

Arranger(s):       Michael Buono                                              

In this session, Danny Tanzi and Pansy Cheng will discuss the unique opportunities for sustainable retrofits and expansions that not only address the experience of seniors and children; but updates the design approach to capture the millennial patrons.  With each having more than 20 years of experience in designing and managing various public works projects, Mr. Tanzi and Ms. Cheng have focused on the public library market sector for the past 15 years.

Speaker(s):
Danny Tanzi, PE, RA, LEED AP, Assistant Vice President/Senior Architect
Pansy Cheng, RA, LEED AP, Senior Architect at H2M architects & engineers

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Sponsoring Committee:  SCLA YASD 

Title:                      The Challenges of Common Core and How Librarians Can Help

Location:               Nassau/Suffolk

Arranger(s):         Casey Fehn                                              

Michael Hynes will be discussing the challenges of Common Core and what librarians can do to help. He will also speak about effective partnerships libraries and schools can form to best assist both the teachers and the students in today’s learning environment.

Speaker:
Dr. Michael Hynes, Superintendent of the Patchogue Medford School District

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Sponsoring Committee:  NCLA Outreach Committee  

Title:                      Serving in Silence: Interactions with the Deaf Community

Location:               Roosevelt

Arranger(s):         Mary Robinson

Ms. Murray will discuss how library staff can increase the quality of customer service to deaf patrons, share a few basic signs useful when communicating with deaf patrons, include tips on what to look for when acquiring an interpreter and talk about the library’s obligation to provide equal access to services as indicated by the ADA.

Speaker:
Loretta H. Murray, Esq., Executive Director Mill Neck Services

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Sponsoring Committee:  NCLA & SCLA RASD  

Title:                      Guerrilla Outreach: 10 Tips for Connecting to your Local Community

Location:               Vanderbilt

Arranger(s):         Rose Marut & Marcia Olsen

How can your library use a limited budget to connect effectively with your community and build awareness for programs and resources? Guerrilla outreach will give you 10 simple ways to reach your community on a tight budget. Get smarter with outreach and you’ll build a great reputation for your library and enhance your community relations.

Speaker:
David Vinjamuri, Contributor to Forbes, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Marketing at New York University, Author of “Accidental Branding: How Ordinary People Build Extraordinary Brands”

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Sponsoring Committee:  SCLA OARS   

Title:                    How Librarians can assist U.S. Military Vets and their Families 

Location:             Whitman

Arranger(s):       Cindy Miller

Veterans and their families face difficult challenges during and after military service. Mr. Roger Leathers and Melanie Cardon Leathers will discuss how libraries can aide veterans in adjusting to civilian life.

Speaker(s):
Roger Leathers, Director of Programs at East End Veteran Residence in Riverhead
Melanie Cardone Leathers, Local History Librarian at Longwood Public Library

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Mid- Morning Slot—10:30am to 11:30 am

Sponsoring Committee:  NCLA Computers & Technology Committee     

Title:                    No Barriers – Striving to Eliminate All Barriers to Access   

Location:             Salons 1, 2, 3

Arranger(s):       James Hutter

Even today, libraries are still implementing significant barriers for our users to overcome to access our resources. Over the last 18 months, the Westbury Library has identified areas in Children, Teen and Adult services where usage was unnecessarily restricted. Once we removed barriers to access, our usage exploded. Join us as we explain our philosophy and share exciting tales of what worked and what didn’t!

Speaker(s):
James Hutter, Head of Technology at Westbury Memorial Public Library
Emily Farrell, Head of Children’s Library, Westbury Memorial Public Library
Ali Blau, Head of Young Adult Services, Westbury Memorial Public Library

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Sponsoring Committee:  NCLA Children’s Services Division      

Title:         Who am I? Rebecca Stead Talks about Identity and the Revelatory Experience of Knowing Yourself   

Location:              Salons 4, 5, 6  

Arranger(s):        Emily Trezza

Children’s author Rebecca Stead will talk about why honest emotion is arguably the most important thing we can write about, in any genre.

Speaker:
Rebecca Stead, Children’s Author

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Sponsoring Committee:  Suffolk PLDA     

Title:                     The Morning After: The budget passed – now what?     

Location:              Salons 7, 8, 9, 10 

Arranger(s):        Lauren Nichols

Library Advocacy is more than just getting the budget passed. Join John Chrastka, founder and director of the nationwide library PAC EveryLibrary as he shares how to turn voters into constituents and donors throughout the year.

Speaker:
John Chrastka, Executive Director of EveryLibrary

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Sponsoring Committee:  SCLA CATS     

Title:                     Makerspaces on a Budget 

Location:              Salons 11, 12 

Arranger(s):        Nick Tanzi

Many libraries are interested in starting a makerspace, but are deterred by the costs involved. In this program, we’ll discuss cost saving measures, free and inexpensive options and methods of maximizing your investment.

Speaker(s):
Chris DeCristofaro: Adult Services/Technology Librarian, Sachem Public Library
Nick Tanzi: Head of Digital Services, Mastics Moriches Shirley Community Library
Bob Johnson: Manager of Information and Technology Services, Emma S. Clark Memorial Library

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Sponsoring Committee:  Long Island Library Conference Committee       

Title:                     Shaping the Future Together: School and Public Library Partnerships      

Location:              Nassau/Suffolk   

Arranger(s):        Carisse Bormann & Alice Robinson

The speakers will demonstrate how they have grown their partnership over the past 2 years to enhance students learning experience inside and outside of the classroom. Carisse and Alice will explain the steps they personally took to forge a path that led to learning well beyond the classroom walls. What started as 1 or 2 schools participating in librarian visits a year has transformed into all 5 elementary schools, Junior High and High Schools welcoming Public Librarians to promote Summer reading programs, as well as, online databases and electronic resources.

The Public Librarians also visit all schools for PTA meetings, and have collaborated with the art teachers to display student’s art works in the public library. In addition, the public librarians have worked with special education teachers to make sure that the Public Library is offering programs and resources to benefit not only all members of its community but also those with disabilities and English as New Language Learners (formerly English as a Second Language). Recently, both groups collaborated to present online resources to parents at Parent University Night which was arranged by the school District. More future collaboration is planned.

Speaker(s):
Carisse Bormann, Children’s Librarian, West Babylon Public Library
Alice Robinson, K-12 Library Chairperson & JHS Librarian

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Sponsoring Committee:  Middle Country Public Library & Freeport Memorial Library       

Title:                      Serving the Business Community      

Location:              Roosevelt   

Arranger(s):        Elizabeth Malafi & Barbara Spinelli

While it is not necessary for every public library to have a dedicated business center, they should all be prepared to help the local business community, new entrepreneurs, and job seekers. Join representatives from two Long Island business libraries to learn why it is important and how you can leverage these services at your library.

Speaker:
Elizabeth Malafi: Coordinator of Adult Services and the Miller Business Resource Center, Middle Country Public Library
Barbara Spinelli: Business Resource Information Center, Freeport Memorial Library
Regina Feeney: Business Resource Information Center, Freeport Memorial Library
Sal DiVincenzo: Miller Business Resource Center, Middle Country Public Library

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Sponsoring Committee(s):  NCLA Intellectual Freedom Committee, SCLA Intellectual Freedom Committee & Long Island Coalition Against Censorship.

Title:                      The Librarian as Censor: Are You Out of Step with the Library Bill of Rights?  

Location:               Vanderbilt  

Arranger(s):        Jeffrey Feinsilver

Self-censorship by librarians, whether performed consciously or unintentionally, can impede intellectual freedom and seriously impact user groups. Come hear our panel discuss various aspects of this issue and respond to audience feedback.

Speaker(s):
Bea Baaden – Director, School Library Media Program & Associate Professor, Long Island University, C.W. Post Center
Kevin McCoy – Chairperson, SCLA Intellectual Freedom Committee & Professor of Library Services at Suffolk County Community College, Ammerman Campus
Frank McKenna – Board Member, NYLA Intellectual Freedom Committee & Director, Seaford Public Library

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Sponsoring Committee:  Half Hollow Hills Community Library      

Title:                     Veterans Testimonial Project: Preserving Our Past for the Future   

Location:              Whitman  

Arranger(s):        Edna Susman

Learn how to work with the Library of Congress to preserve important veterans history. Attendees will learn how to organize veterans interviews and produce a DVD for each. Walk through the process of planning a moving reception to honor all the veterans, including opportunities for local teen volunteers who create patriotic blankets as gifts and recount their experiences listening to veteran stories.

Speaker(s):
Edna Susman, Reference Librarian, Half Hollow Hills Community Library
Ellen Druda, Technology & Internet Services, Half Hollow Hills Community Library
Margie Hartough, Teen Services, Half Hollow Hills Community Library

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Afternoon Session III—3pm to 4pm

Sponsoring Committee:  The New York Black Librarians Caucus      

Title: Libraries and Literacy Are Synonymous: Strong partnerships with Community-based
organizations can keep us relevant in the 21st Century

Location:              Salons 1, 2, 3

Arranger(s):        Sandra Michele Echols & Tiffany Alston

Throughout history libraries have been referred as community hubs and resource place for new immigrants, the unemployed, at-risk youth, and individuals seeking their high school equivalency diploma, at no cost. Collaborations between libraries and other community-based organizations are essential for the 21st century library to remain relevant and competitive in today’s Digital Age. Our workshop will provide attendees with examples and ideas on how to successfully partner with other entities to create a win-win collaboration with the constituent in mind.

Speaker(s):
Shauntee Burns-Simpson, New York Public Library
Sandra Michele Echols, Gill Library @ the College of New Rochelle
Tiffany Alston, New York Public Library
Richard Ashby, Yeadon Public Library

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Sponsoring Committee:  LibraryReads  

Title:                      Building Communities of Readers Using LibraryReaders “Staff Picks”   

Location:              Salons 4, 5, 6  

Arranger(s):        Allison Escoto

Many of the smartest and most passionate readers work in public libraries. Every day, staff across Long Island share the books they love with patrons. Now, they can reach beyond the library walls and local communities and tell the rest of the country about the books they can’t wait to share. Launched in fall 2013, LibraryReads harnesses the value of “library staff picks” into a single nation-wide discovery tool. Attendees will find out how LibraryReads enhances readers’ advisory services and provides staff with professional development and marketing opportunities. The nuts and bolts of obtaining ARC’s (advance reading copies) and the nomination process with be covered.

Speaker(s):
Miriam Tuliao, New York Public Library
Stephanie Anderson, Darien Public Library
Allison Escoto, LibraryReads Administrative Coordinator, Queens Public Library

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Sponsoring Committee:  New York Library Association        

Title:                     Sustainable Thinking     

Location:              Salons 7, 8, 9, 10

Arranger(s):        Jeremy Johannesen

Libraries of all types must take an active, visible role in building sustainable, resilient and regenerative communities. Our future depends on it. We will explore how to infuse the core value of sustainability into everything we do, taking a “whole systems approach” to leading our libraries into the future and building our base of support among those we serve along the way.

Speaker:
Matthew Bollerman, Library Director, Hauppauge Public Library

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Sponsoring Committee:  SCLA Fandom Outreach Committee        

Title:                   Fandom in Libraries: Connecting with Underserved Fandom Communities  

Location:              Salons 11, 12

Arranger(s):        Stefanie Gangone

The Fandom Outreach Committee works towards reaching out to the fan based community by going to the conventions they attend. There are many ways that your library can attract this diverse community through programming, book selection, and being in touch with their interests. We will talk about how the general public is participating more in various fandoms (Star Wars, Doctor Who, the Marvel Universe, DC Comics) and the fandom community is getting a lot wider and libraries have a great opportunity to bring in all ages of people, including New Adults who have been a challenge to connect with in the past.

Speaker(s):
Stefanie Gangone, Head of YA Services at Copiague Library
Mike Buono, President of YASD, Patchogue-Medford Library
Justine Berretta, Librarian at Copiague Library

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Sponsoring Committee:  Suffolk CLASC         

Title:                     Family Story Treasures: Preserving the Past, Enriching the Future 

Location:              Nassau/Suffolk

Arranger(s):        Lisa Herskowitz

This workshop explores ways to rekindle memories and to rediscover family and community history worth passing on to future generations. Personal stories are invisible treasures more valuable than heirlooms held in the hand.

Speaker:
Heather Forest, storyteller, educator, recording artist and author. She has published 18 award winning books and recordings. Ms. Forest holds a Master’s Degree in Storytelling and a Ph.D. in Leadership and Change. She is a recipient of the Circle of Excellence Award presented by the National Storytelling Network.

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Sponsoring Committee:  New York Public Library          

Title:                     Promoting Family History Research in Your Library

Location:              Roosevelt  

Arranger(s):        Megan Margino

Genealogy is one of the most popular hobbies in the United States. Learn how to use the resources available in your library to help patrons explore their family history. This workshop will cover the basics of genealogy research and how to effectively answer genealogy reference questions. We’ll also discuss ideas for programs that will bring interested parties to your library.

Speaker:
Megan Margino, Librarian II at New York Public Library

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Sponsoring Committee:  NCLA & SCLA RASD           

Title:                     Forecast: It’s a Cloudy Day at Reference   

Location:              Vanderbilt  

Arranger(s):        Stephen Ingram

As technology advances, it’s time for Reference services to have a new relationship with these developing cloud services, and incorporate them into daily duties. Join our presenters as they discuss opportunities to incorporate cloud technology into traditional reference workflow. Track statistics, store, share and collaborate on documents. Make presentations and take notes using a browser and plugins as well as OneNote or Evernote. Create digital signatures and graphics using web based sites, and experiment with tablets to converse in another language.

Speaker(s):
Stephen Ingram, Digital Librarian, Northport-East Northport Public Library
James Hartmann, Digital Services Librarian, Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library

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Sponsoring Committee:  NCLA ASLD           

Title:                   Outside the Library: A Look at Librarians Collaborating Across Campus

Location:           Whitman

Arranger(s):      Lawrence Paretta  

This program will consist of two presentations focusing on librarian-led collaborations taking place at two universities located on Long Island. The first, led by Lawrence Paretta and Eduardo Rivera, focuses on a successful collaboration between the English Dept. and the Library at LIU Post. The presentation will focus on the history of the collaboration, the type of instruction provided and in what ways the partnership benefits the students as well as the academic units involved. Assessment methods and results are also described in detail. The second program will be led by Danielle Apfelbaum and will discuss the collaboration between the Library and Career Services department at NYIT. Her presentation will illustrate a systematic but flexible approach for developing valuable programming for a variety of campus stakeholders, and discuss how these experiences and tools can inform collaborative program development for other types of libraries.

Speaker(s):
Lawrence Paretta, Coordinator of Instruction, LIU Post
Eduardo Rivera, Head of Reference Services, LIU Post
Danielle Apfelbaum, Librarian II, New York Institute of Technology

The State of the e-Reader Industry in 2015

e-Reader adoption on a worldwide scale is still fairly strong, despite the fact that e-book sales on trending downwards. In 2014 over 12 million dedicated e-ink devices were sold, which is a far cry from 20 million units in 2011.

The e-Reader industry is in a holding pattern, as many of the key players are not investing in new technologies and simply issuing small incremental updates on a yearly basis.

When it comes to the e-reader playing field, the sector as drastically diminished in the last few years. Sony, the most notable casualty was one of the first mainstream e-readers in the world and they operated one of the most successful digital bookstores. They had a good run, but abandoned selling digital content and scraped making new models because of Amazon being able to out price them. Smaller companies such as Cool-ER, Entourage, iRex, Spring Design, Kyobo have also went bottom up.

One of the main reason the e-reader playing field is so small is because there is no competition anymore when it comes to e-paper innovation. There was some really promising technology that emulated the best aspects of e-ink, able to be viewed in direct sunlight and had a longer battery life. The companies in question were Pixel QI, LG and Bridgestone, but they all abandoned their e-paper ambitions a few years ago due the perceived lack of demand. Meanwhile, against all odds Plastic Logic is still in business, teetering on the edge of oblivion.

The undisputed market leader when it comes to e-paper innovation is e Ink Holdings, whom is based in Taiwan. The company basically monopolizes the industry industry and counts Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kobo has their primary customers. Many smaller players such as Icarus, Onyx Boox and Pocketbook all deal with E-Ink in order to get advice on EPD displays and what type of processors they should go with, depending on their budgets. Lower end devices often have Texas Instruments processors, while higher end models employ Freescale.

A few months ago E Ink and Netronix officially joined forces to become an all in one shop for e-reader design and manufacturing. If a company wants to have an e-reader made, they deal with E Ink the entire journey, instead of being passed off. This might be good for the industry, in terms of being able to do everything in one place, but at the same time could be considered anti-competitive.

In 2015 the e-reader industry only has only two global players and a handful of regional ones. Amazon has the largest market share and 75% of all e-books sold in the US stem from the Kindle bookstore, while in the UK the figure is closer to 95%. When Amazon announces new e-readers it is normally a big event, with hundreds of journalists in attendance that are personally invited by Amazon. You can tell the Seattle company is trying to emulate Apple, by handpicking a few chosen ones and excluding all other media.

The second major global player has to be Kobo. The company has been on an expanding rampage, trying to dominate markets before Amazon can swoop in. One of their biggest secrets to their success is getting their devices in bookstores, where their prospective customers are. Michael Tamblyn – President & Chief Content Officer of Kobo told me on a few occasions that they focus on bookstores because their product seems more organic and wholesome, instead of being sold at a big box retailer, where technology is often cold and impersonal. 

What is an e-reader discussion without the Barnes and Noble Nook? They only sell e-readers, tablets and e-books in the United States and the UK.  The company used run a Windows 8 reading app all over Europe, but has since abandoned it.

Barnes and Noble has lost money on the Nook aspect for the last four years straight. In total, they have lost over 1.2 billion dollars on having too much inventory and selling too few units. They thought they could solve this problem by contracting out the tablet design to Samsung. This partnership is destined to fail because there is no Nook branding on the tablets and there is no compelling reason to buy one.

Barnes and Noble tablets used to be very distinctive and customers spoke with their wallets. The Nook Color, Nook Tablet, Nook HD and Nook HD+ were certainly not “me too” products when they first came out. The operating system ran a customized version of Android and the bookseller borrowed a page out of Amazons playbook by crafting a very unique hardware and software experience.  Many former customers have told me on many occasions that Nook has lost their edge due to shoddy hardware and a broken website that simply does not function.

There are only a handful of key regional players that have any sort of sales record and loyal customers.  One of the most well known is Tolino, which comprises of an alliance of telecom and tech companies that wanted to develop e-readers and open a digital bookstore to prevent Amazon from dominating the German market. Netherlands based Icarus has a fond place in geeks hearts because they were one of the first ones to develop open Android based e-readers, that allow you to install apps just like you would on a smartphone and tablet. Pocketbook tends to dominate Eastern Europe and Russia and Onyx Boox is primarily focused on the Chinese market.

Innovation? 

I have mentioned many times that the e-reader industry is stagnant and actively hindering innovation.  This is primarily because companies such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo are in the race to the bottom.   They want to sell products at the cheapest price possible and forgo critical features such as audio.  Just look at the recent Kindle Basic Touch and Kobo Touch 2.0, both of these devices have an e-Ink Pearl screen, which came out in 2010!

There are only a few innovative things happening in the e-reader industry that might give people a reason to upgrade their old devices. One thing I am very bullish on is the new Freescale IMX 7 dual core processor.  It was designed to improve upon existing technology and they worked in concert with e-Ink to power the next generation of e-paper.

Freescale told me during the product announcement that one of the prolific changes will be page refresh rates. The rate in which page turn speeds occur heavily depend upon the waveform that the e-Reader uses.  The update times can range between 125 mSec – 500 mSec.   By integrating the REGAL waveform support in hardware, Freescale are taking away any additional time that would be added due to Algorithm processing on the Cortex-A core, hence a savings of up to 150 mSec.

Solving the page turn program is a big step forward, but that’s not the only thing that is being remedied with this new processor. Ghosting will also be solved with this framework, which is a huge deal. Normally with e-readers you will have a full page refresh every six pages or in some cases every chapter. The reason for this, is the longer the display goes without a full page refresh text gradually starts super imposing itself.  I have never liked full page refreshes, as it breaks reading immersion.  Now, this will also be fixed, which means less full page refreshes because again, its now hardware based, instead of software.

Likely the largest innovation in the IMX product line is the support for hardware dithering.  This will allow e-reader companies that work with the Linux or Android platforms to be able to include animated content. This will include truly animated page turns, interactive menus and video. Freescale showed me somethings I can’t write about, but needless to say I saw fully streaming video on an e-reader and it looked awesome.

I am told that mass production on the new processors will begin in late October or November. This is likely why Amazon has not announced the Kindle Voyage 2 yet, nor Barnes and Noble Nook Glowlight 2.

The other major innovation has to do with Amazon and their purchase of Liquavista from Samsung.  Nobody really knows anything about the color e-paper yet, although Amazon has been on a hiring rampage over the course of the last year trying to develop it. This is one of the few things I have no timeline on, nor what they are cooking up. If you want to learn more about Liquavista I talked to the lead engineer on the program when it was owned by Samsung, check it out.

Wrap Up

You might think that e-reader sales are on a downward trend, and you are right. People are buying fewer devices now than they did in 2011, but there is a big reason for that. e-Readers are built with a singular purpose, to read digital books.  The hardware is built to last, and I know plenty of people who are rocking 6 year old readers and are still very happy with them.

If you have a first generation iPhone, good luck trying to get any modern app to work on it correctly, ditto if you have an old Samsung Galaxy S1. e-Readers only read books and don’t have a slew of complex apps. The reading experience on a first generation Kindle in 2007 is not very different from a top of the line Kindle Voyage.

The reason why e-reader sales are down is because people aren’t upgrading them with the same feverish pace as they do smartphones and tablets.  The old ones work great, and that’s OK!

In the mood for a “B” movie? Check out these films!

Not every film can be the Citizen Kane of its day. For every high-budget “A movie” that commands significant promotion and funding from its studio, there are piles of B movies that scratch and claw their way into existence without the benefit of things like “a budget” or “a script” in some cases. To compare them with A movies in terms of resources and immersiveness isn’t a fair proposition. Instead, discerning film fans are able to simply appreciate them for what they are.

But what does “best” mean when we’re talking about films often famous for their shoddy construction? It certainly doesn’t mean “best-made.” It also doesn’t mean “worst-made,” or else films like Manos: The Hands of Fate and The Beast of Yucca Flats would make prominent appearances. They’re not on this list because the meaning of “best” here is “most entertaining,” and I defy you to be entertained by Manos without its MST3k commentary or a pound of medical-grade marijuana. If these films are painful, they’re also equally fun.

Whenever possible, I tried to keep the list to more obscure titles. Although John Carpenter’s Halloween is a great example of a superbly made “B movie” in terms of budget, any film fan has most likely seen it already. Gathered here is a collection of some of the most entertainingly cheap and endearingly bad movies ever made.

100. The Giant Claw
Year: 1957
Director: Fred F. Sears

The Giant Claw is not the most captivating of the classic 1950s “giant monster running amok” movies, but it must be seen exclusively for the fact that it features the goofiest-looking movie monster of all time. This thing—this “antimatter space buzzard,” as it is eventually called—is so laughably stupid that it’s hard to believe they actually chose to feature it so extensively in the trailer rather than hiding it from sight. The poor actors weren’t even aware of how incredibly lame the monster would be until they saw the completed film, and by then it was too late. The Giant Claw stands as a classic example of 1950s drive-in cheese.

Hercules in New York
Year: 1970
Director: Arthur Allen Seidelman

Remember when Arnold Schwarzenegger burst into the public consciousness with Conan the Barbarian and late night hosts mocked his stilted English? Well, that movie was made in 1982, after Arnold had been studying the language for more than a decade. Hercules in New York was his first feature film, credited as “Arnold Strong, Mr. Universe” because “Schwarzenegger” was too long. A massive 22-year-old with zero acting experience or charisma, he’s absolutely lost in this thing, casually strolling around New York and competing as a pro wrestler. His line delivery was so unintelligible he had to be completely dubbed, but evidence of the original can still be found. The words are so flat and vapid, he’s like a muscle-bound Lennie Small. It’s captivatingly bad because there’s so little evidence of the fun, campy actor he later became.

The Big Doll House
Year: 1971
Director: Jack Hill

There are certain genres you have to check off in a list like this, and the “women in prison” film is a classic sub-type of the larger 1970s exploitation genre. You know what you’re getting here: Nudity, abusive guards, a plethora of shower scenes and a daring escape. It’s pure sleaze all the way. Jonathan Demme’s Caged Heat is a bit better known, but The Big Doll House is more sincere and less satirical. It’s also one of the earliest appearances of blaxploitation legend, Pam Grier, who will recur on this list. Director Jack Hill clearly saw something in her (or at least liked seeing her naked), as he went on to direct several of Grier’s blaxploitation classics, such as Coffy and Foxy Brown. So really, this is one form of exploitation movie giving birth to another.

I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle
Year: 1990
Director: Dirk Campbell

If I gave you three guesses, do you think you could suss out the basic gist of this film? If you ventured “guy buys a motorcycle that is also a vampire,” then you would be correct. This trashy British horror-comedy is partially successful in its satire of American cheapo horror schlock in the style of Troma Entertainment, but it’s also got plenty of sincere badness of its own. It’s that rare sort of film that is amusing both in its intentional corniness and its unintentional badness, which is not a common combination. It’s just a gloomy, bizarre film, with scenes that include a dream sequence featuring a talking turd in the hero’s toilet. You probably don’t want to see that, but if you do, I won’t judge. It’s exactly what the trailer implies from the first lines: “Most good motorcycles run on gasoline. This is a bad motorcycle. It runs on blood.”

Iron Sky
Year: 2012
Director: Timo Vuorensola

This movie isn’t nearly as funny or clever as it thinks it is, but damn if it doesn’t earn a spot on the list just through strength of premise alone. In the annals of great premises for B movies, “Nazis from the dark side of the moon invading Earth” is an instant classic. It helps that the movie looks great for an entry in the straight-to-video segment, and the acting is serviceably campy. The political humor is a bit much and the Sarah Palin-esque American president quickly grows grating, but it’s no worse than you’d see in your average mockbuster from The Asylum, coupled with much higher production values. It’s a premise that could have been an all-time classic, but even as is, it’s tough not to enjoy Iron Sky as gleefully stupid entertainment.

 

Mazes and Monsters
Year: 1982
Director: Steven Hilliard Stern

File this one into the “before they were famous” category. Starring a 26-year-old Tom Hanks in his first feature film lead, six years before Big, this movie is the perfect encapsulation of the early 1980s D&D moral panic. Its “research” is hilariously poor, painting a D&D-style roleplaying game as a life-devouring descent into the depths of Satanism and mental illness. Hanks plays the resident psycho of the group, who falls so deeply into his cleric character that he takes to wandering the streets of New York, murdering hoboes he mistakes for orcs. It’s incredibly dour, tackling its subject matter in the same blind, contextless way that Reefer Madness handled pot 50 years earlier, and in the process proving how little we’ve learned. This is the kind of film you find in a pawn shop today in a hand-printed DVD case with a 40-year-old Tom Hanks’ face plastered on it. “You like Tom Hanks, right? Sure you do. You should buy this exciting movie starring Academy Award-winner Tom Hanks.”

Foodfight!
Year: 2012 (technically)
Director: Larry Kasanoff

The saga of Foodfight! is the story of its development, not its actual plot. Conceived from the very beginning as an experiment in product branding and consumerism, this animated adventure features dozens of household brands and mascots such as Mr. Clean as characters. Taking place in a supermarket for good brand access, it stars the voices of Charlie Sheen as talking dog/super spy Dex Dogtective and Hilary Duff as “Sunshine Goodness,” his cat-faced love interest. Also attached to this turd: Eva Longoria, Christopher Lloyd, Jerry Stiller and Chris Kattan, among others. The reason you’ve probably never heard of it is because it was originally intended for release all the way back in 2003, before the hard drives containing all the animation were stolen. The near-complete film had to be restarted all over again, the animation style was changed and extreme cost-saving measures were brought in. The result is absolutely the most nightmarishly bad-looking film ever made for a budget of $45 million. The entire time you’re watching this feature-length commercial, you’ll simply be wondering where all that money could possibly have gone.

Prophecy
Year: 1979
Director: John Frankenheimer

I have no idea why this film was named Prophecy, except that “15-foot mutant bipedal bear” was sort of a clunky title. Regardless, that’s exactly what it’s about: A bear monster mutated by a combination of man’s hubris and some industrial-strength industrial waste. The movie wants to have a serious message about pollution and the rape of the natural world, but it’s impossible to get past how bizarre the monster looks. The highlight is one of the silliest death scenes ever, when a small kid in a banana-yellow sleeping bag gets swatted through the air by the bear, striking a rock and exploding into a rain of goose down. I can’t see how this could ever have drawn any reaction but laughter in a theater.

Death Bed: The Bed That Eats
Year: 1977
Director: George Barry

Immortalized in an incredible stand-up routine from Patton Oswalt, this is one of those great, lost films that finally found its way onto DVD a few years ago and was embraced by bad movie lovers around the world. The plot couldn’t be more simple: There’s a bed, and it’s evil! It eats stuff! What kind of stuff? Well, the bed’s not picky, just about anything will do: Teens, criminals, buckets of fried chicken and a bottle of wine are all on the menu. At one point, the freaking DEATH BED even gets indigestion, but thankfully there’s a bottle of Pepto Bismol lying on it at the time. Admit it, that’s a far better sponsorship tie-in than anything in the Transformers series.

King Kong Lives
Year: 1986
Director: John Guillermin

Until Peter Jackson’s passable remake, American King Kong movies were a little bit like the Jaws series, growing progressively cheaper, uglier and more ridiculous with every installment. This ill-fated 1986 effort picks up where the better-known 1976 remake left off, with Kong having seemingly plummeted to his death off the World Trade Centers. But hey, turns out he’s fine! And not only is he fine, but scientists have located a female giant ape of his species for a necessary blood transfusion. They soon break out and go on the lam, pursued by the military. That might sound exciting, but this film is primarily amusing for how badly it butchers the legacy of one of screendom’s most iconic characters. The special effects are beyond awful, somehow managing to look less dynamic than the 1933 original. Even the Japanese portrayals of Kong fighting monsters like Godzilla manage to have more dignity than this piece of garbage.

Sharknado
Year: 2013
Director: Anthony C. Ferrante

Most films from cheapo-cinema mavens The Asylum fall well short of “fun bad” and into the unfortunate realm of “bad bad,” but Sharknado is one of the rare few to rise above. Unlike so many other creature features from the same studio, it’s not stingy in its premise. It promises sharks propelled by tornados, delivers on that promise in the very first shot of the film, and then keeps on delivering. It’s eminently more watchable than just about any other Asylum film, which is a large part of what made it such a phenomenon when it premiered on Syfy in the summer of 2013. This July, it will even be graced with a live Rifftrax treatment when the former MST3k stars riff the film in theaters nationwide.