From Kindles to Kobos, it is no secret that e-readers are growing in popularity and convenience. Physical books will always hold an important place in readers’ hearts, but with the rise of e-readers comes the transition from physical copies to digital.
The first e-reader, the Rocket eBook, was released in 1998, and it could only have 10 books downloaded at a time. Now, these devices have come a long way, with modern devices having a capacity of 3,000 to 10,000 books.
“I am a fast reader and I read a lot, so I go through books very quickly. Having a Kindle takes away from having to go in-person to get a book, or order a book online, every time I want to read something new,” Kaitlin VanDerVeen, UO junior said.
“It also cuts down some of the cost, as most of the books on Kindle are cheaper than their physical versions. I was able to quickly make up the money I spent on the Kindle by saving money by not buying physical books.”
Apps like Libby make e-readers and ebooks far more accessible. Libby is a digital library app, and with a library card, you can check out books using the app and upload them onto whichever device you own. Although investing in an e-reader can be on the more expensive side, digital libraries eliminate the need to buy books to load onto the device.
Additionally, e-readers are accessible for all reading levels and preferences. You can adjust text size, brightness, and choose if it tracks page number, percentage left in the book or percentage left in the chapter. E-readers are a customizable approach to reading, making those who may be dipping their toes in the literature world slightly less intimidated.
There can be quite a divide between die-hard physical book lovers and die-hard e-reader lovers. Both have a time and place where they are more appropriate. For travel, e-readers are convenient and compact–perfect for packing. Physical books, however, are much better for annotation and collecting purposes as well.
“I like owning the physical copies of the books and like having them around because I really like to reread books a lot of the time,” Calla King, UO junior , said. “You’re not buying books from bookshops. I think Kindle is owned by Amazon and I’m against buying books from Amazon because that’s like directly what’s closing bookstores.”
Kindles, made by Amazon, are the most popular among e-readers. However, there are increasingly popular devices that are starting to compete against Kindles including the Kobo by Rakuten.
For most readers, there is no feeling like stepping into a bookstore and browsing the shelves for your perfect book match. It’s true that e-readers take this experience away. Rather than browsing bookstore shelves, you’re scrolling on a screen. However, when you don’t have time to always make it to the actual store, digitized stores and libraries are a great alternative.
Whether you are a physical book reader or an e-reader, the influence of digital reading is unavoidable.
“Moving to college, I found my Kindle allowed me to keep up with my love for reading without having to store a bunch of books in my little dorm room. I also found that having a Kindle has exposed me to a wider variety of books,” VanDerVeen said. “I think that e-readers give a lot more accessibility to those who do not have the space to store books.”
