Browse for Books from Home, Play Them on the Go Local Libraries Embrace Digital Age by Offering Downloadable 'eBooks'

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Byline: Stacy Vogel Daily Herald Staff Writer

In the old days, when people were looking for a way to relax or entertain themselves, there was nothing better than curling up with a good book.

Then cable television came along, followed by the Internet and portable CD players. Soon even books themselves were digitized, taking on the formats of "eBooks" - texts of entire books stored on a home computer or PDA.

Now public libraries, including some in the Northwest suburbs, are getting in on the act.

Books on tape (and later CDs) have been available for years at public libraries, and are popular with commuters, the visually impaired and anyone who doesn't have the time or patience to drop everything to sit down with a book.

Now patrons of several area libraries can …