Since entering elementary school, reading has become an integral part of typical life, from analysis of Shakespeare in English class to memoirs of world leaders in history, to plain old reading for fun.
However, with the advent of new technologies, we can now hold volumes of literature right in our pockets on our smartphones. E-readers have revolutionized the way people read. No longer is there any need to go to libraries or bookstores.
With an e-reader you have instant access to thousands of texts from all different genres, eras and authors. Modern e-readers, such as Amazon’s Kindle, can hold up to 6,000 books while weighing less than 15 ounces. However, many students have a preference to the traditional comfort of physical copies of books.
“I like to physically hold the book in my hand,” junior Nicholas Karam said. “I feel more connected with the reading; it comforts me.”
Many who do use e-readers rate their convenience highly among factors for choosing them over books.
“I don’t have to go buy the book, I can just get it instantly,” junior Logan Tran said. “I use an iPad and read a majority of my books on it. I can take notes on it easily and it’s just generally easy to access.”
Some, such as English teacher James MacIndoe, use e-readers for on-the-go reading but still enjoy the feeling of a real book.
“I read a lot at night and I’d rather read off a page than off a screen,” MacIndoe said. “I only use my Kindle when traveling as it’s less bulky than books. I only really use it when I need something that’s portable.”
While some still find themselves attached to the traditional concept of a book, many around the world are making the jump to e-readers.
The e-book market is expected to be worth over $500 million by next year and Apple has reported that its book service iBooks has been adding a million users a week since iOS 8’s introduction.