By Heather Kittle
Since the creation of e-books and e-readers, many bibliophiles have argued whether it was better than an actual physical copy of a book. In contrast, others wondered if this would be the end of printed books or quit possibility libraries altogether. Although e-books are more affordable than they once were, the fear of losing printed books is nothing to be concerned about. In 2020, statistics showed that 45% of people bought a printed book, while only 23% bought an e-reader, with e-readers being the most popular in China. Even with handheld electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablets, becoming readily available to mass populations, and the digitization of everything as we know it, statistics suggest that e-books will not replace printed but could quite possibly assist in the production of published and work alongside the printing industry without competing.
With that fear out of the way, what ways are printed books better than e-readers, and vice versa?
With printed books, they’re relatively cheap compared to an e-reader and would untimely outlast one as well. “How,” you may ask? Well, technology in our day and age advances rather quickly. How outdated would your e-reader be in another two years compared to the printed book you bought the same day? You may also say, well, a book could get torn and damaged easier than an e-reader. But how much more damage would water do to a book than an electronic device?
Another reason books may be better is that they can become a very personal item to the owner. Did you ever have a book you loved as a child that your guardian read to you almost every night? Pages worn down and falling out from its spine. That was your book. Or how about meeting your favorite author and getting them to sign a copy of their book? How much more special could that be. On the plus side of that, your favorite book would be less likely to be stolen when compared to its counterpart.
On the flip side, e-readers are more environmentally friendly and easily accessible. Not only from the perspective of someone unable to house hundreds of books in one place but also for those living with specific disabilities. A quick swipe of a page on an e-reader is much easier than a turn of a page.
E-readers can also allow the reader to browse and discover authors from the comfort of their own space. Which is helpful in times where venturing out is unsafe or even unwanted. (You know what I’m saying, fellow introverts) This can also be helpful for those on vacation or who travel for work often and don’t have the space or time for printed books but who love to read. Again, the accessibility and convenience of an e-reader are something many can benefit from.
Speaking of benefiting, unknown and underfinanced authors who would otherwise be unable to publish their books can self-publish much more accessible and reach a larger audience now that e-readers exist. This is something that I feel as though both the authors and readers benefit from. Even though some books are questionable in the free romance section on the Kindle… (Kissing the Corona Virus series? I’m not joking. It’s a real books series. Look it up)!
We have been so used to new technology and replacing an old one that e-readers replacing printed books seemed like the most logical next step. Yet, as we see now, that is most likely not the case in this situation. Because although there is the convince of having thousands of books available at your fingertips with an e-reader, it will never replace the feeling of walking through the doors of your favorite library. But also, I do still love my e-reader and am grateful for the books I’d never know about without it.
Did you know? The Delta College library holds up to 50,00 printed books and 200,000 e-books at any given time. Not a student? That’s okay! They’re also a public library, too! Check out their page at https://www.delta.edu/community/services-for-our-community/library.html
