There’s something magical about reading a book. Whether it’s the smell, the sound of flipping pages, or the texture of the pages rubbing against your fingertips, there is something so satisfying about holding a physical book. The same cannot get said for an e-book. Personally, I find that e-books do not capture the charm of reading print. It just isn’t captivating. However, according to studies done by the Pew Research Center, the number of people reading print books is on a steady decline; whereas, the percentage of users who read e-books is rising. Nevertheless, many people still read print books, and it seems like they will never entirely go away.
However, one cannot deny the benefits of owning an e-book. In today’s hectic and fast-paced world where everything we do seems ephemeral and transient, the e-book seems like a perfect fit. Not only are e-books extremely portable, but also easily accessed. In the college scene, this makes for a convenient way to carry all your books on a laptop or mobile device without having to deal with the bulk that their print book counterparts would usually present.
Despite all of the conveniences that the e-book provides, the majority of studies show that people, in general, prefer print books, and for good reason. If students happened to get presented with the choice of an e-book or hard copy (assuming the cost is equal), the student will pick the physical book about 90% of the time according to a survey conducted by Naomi Baron, a professor of linguistics at American University. Why could this be? Well, a separate study performed in the UK by the National Literacy Trust showed that people who read from e-books children who read e-books were less likely to be above-average readers. Similar studies show that readers demonstrate higher comprehension when reading a book in print.
I can attest to that. When reading an e-book, I usually find myself asking what I just read. In comparison, this does not happen as often when I read from print. Many researchers suggest that this is likely because people are more apt to “multi-task” when reading an e-book. In other words, you are more easily distracted when reading from an e-book. Like I had previously said, e-books are not captivating. I cannot immerse myself in an e-book as quickly as I can with a book in print.
Not only that, but I already find myself staring at a screen for a majority of the day. It’s a nice change of pace reading a hard copy of a book, and a lot easier on the eyes. In fact, there are many adverse effects to starring a screen for prolonged periods of time, which you will presumably be doing if you’re reading, making the print book a much more favorable option.
Nonetheless, e-books are continuing to become more and more prevalent, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. E-books will never truly replace the print book, but there is simply a time and a place where and e-book may be more appropriate than the hard copy and vice versa. This is reflected in surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center that found that people preferred physical books when it was for their personal use. Either way, there are some clear advantages at reading from a printed, and for that reason, the paper will always have its place for academic and personal use.
