Paper Books Vs. Electronic Books

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The excitement of reading and learning go hand in hand with each new story comes the introduction of new words and ideas. Paper books have a disadvantage when it comes to new or unfamiliar subjects, words, or phrases. A word or subject search would require physically picking up another book and looking through its pages until the information is found. A readers memory would need to be used to guide a reader to a book and some kind of index to find a specific chapter and page within that book. This time consuming task is one reason a reader would prefer an electronic book rather than a paper book. However, eighty-eight percent of electronic book readers also read paper books (Albanese 26). Electronic books maintain a great advantage when searching for a subject or an unfamiliar word or phrase; the ease in which it allows a reader to search with a depth and convenience that cannot be matched by the paper book. The convenience of having information at the tap of a screen has made electronic books a popular choice among readers young and old alike.

Both paper and electronic books offer the same essential functions of reading, they also have varying differences and advantages. It is impossible to read a paper book in total darkness, but it is almost impossible to read an electronic book in bright, direct sunlight. One reader may prefer paper books for its sensory and tactile experience while another reader prefers an electronic book for its accessibility and convenience. Since both types of books offer a wealth of knowledge and entertainment it is not surprising that many readers choose to read both. So when choosing between a paper and electronic book for some readers it is more about tradeoffs than deal breakers.

Works Cited

Albanese, A.R.. “Print, Digital, and What Really Matters.” Publishers Weekly,2016, pp.24-26.

Herther, Nancy K.. “E-books Herald the future of the 21st-Century Publishing.” Searcher, vol.20, no.2,2012, pp.12-54.