E-books: What's All the Rage
Whether you are in a doctor’s office, an airport or in a school, you are likely to see people of all ages reading an e-book on some type of an e-reader, smartphone or computer. E-books hit the market years ago, making some folks worry print books would become extinct. No need to fret about that today! Readers still love to hold a real book in their hands and not look at yet another screen. Print books never have to be charged, and some readers feel a device doesn’t hold their attention as well as a good old book.
On the other hand, a population of readers, young and old, definitely love reading on a device and enjoying all the benefits that come with it. If you haven’t crossed over to the e-book side, you may be enticed with how an e-book can fit into a busy lifestyle.
Change Settings to Meet Individual Needs
- The reader can change the text size, font and even line spacing to meet individual needs. Chats with children and adults alike reveal both believe that being able to change the font size helps them read more fluently and, therefore, to read more books.
- Backlighting can be adjusted on an e-reader to allow ease of reading in different lighting situations. This capability can help alleviate eye stress.
Convenience
- Tapping an unknown word on the screen instantly leads to a dictionary feature, giving an excellent opportunity to learn difficult or new vocabulary found in text.
- Passages can be highlighted with ease to allow the reader to note interesting or necessary information.
- A device can hold a large library of books, a convenience for frequent travelers and even occasional vacationers. No more lugging three or four books around in bags or luggage. Devices are relatively light, small and portable.
- E-books generally allow you to read 10 percent of a book before purchasing it, so you’re able to get a good taste of the tale before actually hitting the buy button.
- Instant access! The reader does not need to go to a bookstore or library to select a new book. Just finished a book? Get the sequel immediately.
- The growing number of apps allow for reading on smartphones and tablets, rather than just on dedicated e-readers.
Value
- E-books tend to be cheaper than the printed format.
- Many school districts and most public libraries offer free e-books for instant checkout. With many school districts going to 1:1 devices, this is an excellent opportunity for students to check out books 24/7 that are in high demand. Public libraries have a broad collection of e-books.
- Some e-reader apps and publishers will allow for lending an e-book to friends. There are certain guidelines to be met and some limitations, but it can be done.
To be certain, readers are passionate about what format they choose to read: print, digital or a mix of both. Readers must consider that some genres lend themselves to a print format rather than digital and, of course, not every book is available in digital format.
As a school librarian and a parent of three teenagers, I must reiterate what author Emilie Buchwald says: “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” Sharing a beautiful picture book over and over with a child or reading aloud a favorite chapter book in a comfy chair is just not the same on a device. Yet, our goal remains creating lifelong readers who read for pleasure and read to learn. However your child enjoys reading, support it!
Angela Rosheim is a library media specialist in the Liberty Public School District and the mother of three.