A case for print books in a world that’s gone digital

To all those that thought print books would go the way of the dodo because of the ebook…think again.

A New Republic article states that sales of ereaders have plateaued, despite consistent year over year growth. The reason? People still like to read print books. In a survey conducted by Scholastic, of kids ages 6-17, 77% of them said they preferred to read print book over ebooks.

Why is this? Naomi Barron, author of Words Onscreen: The fate of reading in a digital world, surveyed over 300 college students in the U.S., Japan, Germany and Slovakia, and found that print books won in a landslide over ebooks, especially in the “serious reading” category, where more concentration was required.

While the format didn’t seem to matter as much for light or recreational reading, there was still considerable feedback about the importance of holding a physical book, feeling it in your hand and seeing it on the bookshelf, and the ability to flip through and peruse at will. It may be a nostalgic view, but it is still a strong one – ebooks simply cannot provide the tactile experience of print books.

As a longtime library employee, I can tell you that while there is an increase in the use of ebooks, there is still a demand for print books. Being able to browse books on a shelf is part of the experience that brings people into libraries and bookstores. There is a great sense of satisfaction that comes from pulling a book off the shelf, opening it, reading a few pages, and deciding that it is the one to take home with you. It’s far more difficult – and a much more static experience – to browse ebooks. Usually, you have to have an idea of what you are looking for, and then click for every new search result page, synopsis and availability option. I don’t feel like I’m wasting time when I wander the shelves of a used bookstore, but once I start doing a catalog search I’m counting the amount of clicks it takes me before I can actually get the item.

Don’t get me wrong, I like ebooks. Online article databases, magazines and journals are resources I plunder on a regular basis. Sometimes getting the ebook version of an expensive textbook is far more economical, and more readily available than a print version. When I want a book right now, I’m getting the ebook. But when I want to immerse myself in the story, and feel the weight of it in my hands while I sip a hot beverage…pass me that print book.

Photo: Wikipedia