I bought a 16GB card for my camera and it works great. However, when I stick it in my card reader it’s as if it isn’t there. The reader works fine with my old 1Gb card.  Any idea why?

As you said this was a 16Gb card, I can safely say you’re talking about an SDHC card. Although SD cards and SDHC cards look identical, there are some technical differences between them. The HC stands for high capacity, because non-SDHC cards were previously limited to a maximum of 4GB only.

However, the change to the format means older card readers, such as the one you’re trying to use, cannot read them. The best solution is to buy a new card reader as all new models are compatible with SDHC cards or connect your camera to the computer directly if you have the appropriate cable. That way, whether you have a photo of allen carr or a photo of some pretty cats, you can always get to them