At $359 apiece, the wireless devices aren't cheap. In addition, their appearance provokes skepticism among readers accustomed to the feel and comfort of bound paper volumes.

So what if it carries a small library of electronic titles: How can a plastic case and gray screen possibly replace the intimacy of a traditional book?

Jim Henderson, director of instructional technology for Granite, one of Utah's largest districts, admits he was skeptical, too. Then, last year, he bought 10 Kindles for employees in his department.

"I put it in the hands of my oldest librarians, and they coveted it almost immediately," Henderson said. "I'd compare it to the first iPods. I think this is just the beginning of a trend."

District board members, who Tuesday evening unanimously approved spending $52,773 to purchase 147 Kindles, feel the same. To the best of Johnson's knowledge, Granite is the first and only Utah school district to buy Kindle in bulk.

Sara Meier, president of the Granite board, said she and other board members at first questioned the purchase. Then its immediate advantages, not to mention future potential, became apparent.

"At first I couldn't imagine myself reading a book on it, but I wasn't using a computer 15 years ago, either," Meier said. "It [Kindle] is a great way to put Granite on the cutting edge."

While it may seem pricey, Kindle's biggest selling point for a school district is cost. With textbooks running $25 or more, Kindle titles cost an average of $10, and can be easily shared among several users, further reducing the cost. Unlike electronic reading devices of the past, which required a computer hook-up to download texts, the Kindle's wireless capability means users can download texts anywhere they can make a phone call. In addition, the device uses "electronic-paper" technology to refresh each page on the screen, elminating the glare and eye-strain of traditional back-lit computer monitors.

The school text market for Kindle is so far small to nonexistent, but Granite officials foresee the day when publishing companies embrace the medium because of simple market forces. Not only would use of the device in schools cut down on paper costs, but it would also cut down on space and energy needed to store books and move them from school to school. Rather than wait months for updated texts, they could instead be downloaded soon after revisions. The days when students strained their developing backs with a pack full of books would be over.

All that's still to come. For now, Johnson said, the district's Kindles will be put into the hands of librarians, assistant librarians and technology specialists at its elementary, middle and high schools. Once they're versed in the ways of using Kindle to promote reading and literacy, what Johnson calls "the third wave" of placing the devices in classrooms can't be far behind. The opportunity to save education dollars and engage students with technology they can relate to is too great to pass up, he believes.

"Dollars are so scarce," Johnson said. "We've got too much pressure to promote literacy in our schools; we're doing everything we can think of."