They said digital books were just a fad, a trend, something that we will look back on as a moment in reading. While the first digitizing of books took place in the 1970s and the first e-reader was released to the public in the 1990s, e-books really didn’t take off until the mid-2000s. More than 20 years later and the hype has not died down. Read on for 10 reasons to justify embracing the trend.
1. Lighting that adapts to your needs. You can read anywhere with the ability to adjust the screen brightness. Out at the beach? We are no long plagued by backlit readers and can read in the sun. On a long flight, car ride, bus or train? Don’t worry about your neighbor; you can adjust the brightness as you need without bothering those around you.
2. Unparalleled availability. Some books never get a physical release or are only available to the public digitally. This gives self-published authors a space that would otherwise not exist. It also provides wider access to items that are not available in print for a variety of reasons.
3. Progress tracking, if you want it. Putting a bookmark in an e-book is just easier. It remembers where you left off, and if you drop it or have a cat that likes to steal your bookmarks straight out of the book, like one CPL librarian has, you won’t lose your place. The progress bars can show a percentage of completion or page count while reading so you know at a glance how much more reading you have to go. But this information is also easy enough to ignore if long books are intimidating and overwhelming. This can also help if you find yourself slowing down towards the end of books that you don’t want to end.
4. Keeping things private. People don't always need to know what you are reading. If you don’t want to broadcast your guilty pleasure reads (adults can read kids’ books too!), an e-reader will keep the subject of your current read hidden from wondering eyes.
5. Convenience. When going on vacation, running errands or just walking to your favorite reading spot, digital readers allow you to bring more books than you could carry in one hand. Sometimes you end up in a long wait without knowing; just unlock your phone and check out a new adventure or keep reading from where you left off. You can even browse and check out books from out of state and out of the country. This light packing gives you all the more room in your suitcase for souvenirs (or print books as souvenirs) when you vacation. All you need is your Canton Public Library card and an internet connection.
6. Instant returns. You no longer need to plan a trip to the library to return your books. No matter how convenient we make returning your books, nothing will be easier than them returning themselves automatically. Your e-books check back into the library on their own so the only thing you need to keep track of is your reading progress. (Tip: if you didn’t finish your book and need to re-check-out an e-book in Libby or hoopla, the app will remember where you left off when you turned it in.)
7. Adjustable text. Unfortunately, not every book is available in large print and sometimes the text is so small that it makes reading complicated. With e-books, the text size is adjustable, so if your eyes are in need of a break, you can increase the text size and then shrink it back down the next day if you want.
8. Hand freedom. Most e-readers only require one hand to hold and are easier to handle. This can be helpful if you struggle with flipping pages or holding heavy books. This also gives you the ability to use your free hand if needed. Think of all the possibilities! Whether you’re cuddling your cat, caring for your child, doing a little knitting, or having a snack, e-readers give you greater access to multi-tasking when it works for you. Bonus, you don’t have to worry about getting the book damp or dusty from your drinks and snacks while you enjoy that good read.
9. Reinforce your literacy. E-readers come with a lot of built-in features like highlighting, note taking and a built-in dictionary. If your reader does not have these features but does have the internet, you can look more into words or concepts you are unfamiliar with. This is an awesome tool for expanding your knowledge of difficult subjects and vocabulary. This is a great feature for those learning English as well.
10. Space. While regularly checking out and returning books to your local library can cut down on the amount of physical space your reading takes up, e-readers make cutting down on dedicated book space easy without sacrificing your favorite reads.
Are you ready to pivot from print yet?
Of course not. We aren’t monsters. While you might have a clear preference, there’s definitely reasons to leverage both print and digital reading in your life.
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