The Importance Of E-Books Vs. Physical Books

Reading is one very important activity that has been practiced for years and years since the invention of paper. People read for several different reasons. Reading can be for educational purposes, or it can just be for simple pleasure. The most famous reading medium known to man is the book, but as our world is technologically advancing day after day, alternatives have been introduced. With the constant technological innovations, one might think that physical books are in danger of extinction with e-books being the new successors. But even though e-books are thought to be more convenient and environmentally friendly, physical books score more points when it comes to better reading comprehension, lack of digital restrictions management, immortality,

The reader carries an entire library, packed up with thousands of books, anywhere in a small, lightweight device. E-book supporters also claim that e-books help conserve paper by saving more trees from being cut. However, e-book convenience has its flaws. E-readers are electronic devices that need to be supplied with power in order to keep working. Worst case scenario is that the battery might die out while someone is stuck somewhere with no power outlet especially if its during an interesting part of a book. How frustrating could that be? E-readers are expensive devices that are prone to theft, damage, or they can be forgotten in a public place. Some e-readers also have limits to where they can be used. LCD screen e-readers cannot be seen from in direct sunlight. E-readers that use e-ink such as Amazon’s Kindle cannot be read from in dim light. Another limitation to e-readers is airplanes. As is the case with all technological devices, the use of e-readers is strictly forbidden due to the negative effect they might have on planes. E-books cannot exactly be referred to as environmentally friendly. E-readers, as previously mentioned, use electricity to work. Electricity is obtained from natural resources such as coal which is a non renewable resource. Trees, on the other hand, are renewable resources and can be

According to a 2010 survey by researchers at the University of California and the California Digital Library, fifty-eight percent of students use e-books. However, most of them still prefer physical books. In fact, almost six out of ten undergraduate students stated a preference for printed books , and according to the survey report, "many undergraduate respondents commented on the difficulty they have learning, retaining, and concentrating while in front of a computer." The physical nature of the book plays an important role at this point. It allows for direct contact with the reader which in turn helps him/her to easily remember and recall information. "The physical presence of the printed pages turns out to be important to the mind’s ability to navigate written works." says technology writer Nicholas Carr. This can be explained by a phenomenon called cognitive mapping in which a reader unconsciously creates mental maps of a printed text. The direct physical contact with a book activates senses such as sight, touch, as well as smell. Associating these sensory details can trigger memories of where certain passages, sentences, or even words are located in a page. A 2011 study conducted by Kate Garland concluded that people who use e-readers are less likely to remember what they’ve read and have to go over it several times to fully comprehend the text. Physical