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Tangible
- Books are real, tangible objects. As opposed to e-books, which are essentially a digital file.
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Tactile experience
- There is a physical sensation when holding a book in our hands–how it feels, the weight, turning a page, etc. This can never be recreated through an e-reader, for instance.
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Smell
- Who doesn’t love the smell of a new book? You won't get that with an e-book.
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E-books are greener
- E-books don’t rely on paper and consequently all the industry of manufacturing paper and printing. It’s safe to say that e-books are more eco-friendly.
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Eye strain
- If you’ve ever used a tablet, smartphone, or a computer to read a book, you know how it can strain your eyes. E-readers are far superior, but this is not applicable to physical books.
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E-books are not good for your sleep
- Many people like to read in bed. But staring at a screen before calling it a night can interfere with your sleep.
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Price
- E-books are, in most cases, cheaper than printed books. You do need a more expensive device to read them, but you probably have it already (e.g. phone).
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Exclusive
- To cut costs, some authors are no longer publishing books in paper format. Some publications are only available on digital format.
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Physical progress
- You can physically visualize your progress while reading a book. You will get closer to the end at each turn of the page. E-books won’t give you the same experience.
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Spatial memory
- Books might be superior with regards to visual-spatial memory. We tend to remember certain parts of text and be able to find it physically in the book.
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Distractions
- This is particularly true for e-books with interactive elements. A study found that these were more distracting for children, compromising the learning process.
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Portability
- This is where the e-book excels. If you like to read during your commute to work, or at other places where it wouldn’t be convenient to carry a physical book, a digital alternative is the way to go.
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Artifacts
- You find books in museums and old libraries. Some are indeed historical artifacts with an historical weight that e-books don’t have.
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Multitasking
- E-book readers like the possibility of being able to switch to another task at any giving time. E.g. Googling a word, checking social media, etc.
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Skim reading
- This is more accentuated when reading e-books, which can be useful, but it’s different from reading something at a deeper level, connecting emotionally, and using critical analysis.
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Advantages of reading e-books
- Another study did find, however, that digital reading improved students’ capacity to read faster.
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Books make great gifts
- A book is still a great present and, of course, you can write a personal note on it.
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Book signing
- Plus, you can get it signed by the author! You won’t show up to a book signing and ask for the author to type their name on your e-reader, right?
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Privacy
- The beauty of e-books is that you don’t have to worry about other people knowing what you’re reading.
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Theft-proof
- Most burglars and thieves probably won’t see the benefit of stealing your books. An e-book reader or other gadget, on the other hand, is more vulnerable to theft.
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Physical books are a great way to switch off
- This is particularly true if you’re reading on your smartphone or laptop, where you can get easily distracted with notifications.
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A question of power
- You will literally need power in your device to be able read an e-book. You will never run out of battery with a physical book.
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Tech annoyances with e-books
- You know, the page that doesn't turn, the device that crashes, the formatting problem, software updates, among many others. In a physical book, these things won't occur.
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Decor
- A bookshelf is a timeless piece of decor. Plus, you can place books on shelves, stack them on the floor, etc. Needless to say, you can’t decorate your living room with e-books.
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Exclusive information
- Books are old, very old, so there is some information that you can only find in them.
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Used books
- You can buy, sell, and donate books. There are second-hand bookshops, for instance. Or just swap them with friends and family.
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Used books
- Though you can easily share a copy of an e-book with a friend and keep reading yours. No paper wasted.
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Notes
- Do you usually like to underline parts of a book, for future reference, or even make notes on the margins? This can be done in both digital copies and paper books.
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Vacation reading
- E-books are definitely easier to carry, but try reading one while sunbathing on the beach with the sun glaring on the screen. Paper will probably work best. See also: Read up on the world's rarest and most valuable books
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Are physical books better than e-books?
Today kicks off Read an E-Book Week
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Long are the days when we could only read in paper format. E-books have been around for quite some time now, but it wasn't until Amazon launched the Kindle e-reader in 2007 that it really exploded in popularity. Many of us spend our days in front of a screen, so reading e-books kind of makes sense, right? Well, not so fast. There are indeed many benefits to reading e-books, but maybe it's not time to say goodbye to our old friend, the physical book, just yet.
Browse through the following gallery and discover how books and e-books differ, and the impact they have on us. Then, draw your own conclusions.
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