Here’s a New York Times article about reading ”paperbound” books vs. e-reading. This discussion is not going to go away anytime soon.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/technology/02couples.html
I know this has implications for bookstores and libraries but the bottom line for me is information and literature is being produced and shared and I don’t care about the format. Some people will always prefer to hold a “real” book in their hands. Many more in the future will be comfortable with the e-readers. Some people have told me that listening to a book on cd cannot be considered reading. That’s hogwash. Would you tell a blind person that he has not read any books because he listened to them?
Bookstores in the future will be selling more books to be displayed on e-readers. That’s OK. Newspapers will be read on the Internet too. That’s OK. Libraries will be offering more downloadable books for free. That’s OK too. Life is changing fast and we must adapt. I personally would miss holding a paperbound book in my hands but my grandchildren may not. I’m not too worried that “paper” books will go out of style in my lifetime. Hey, maybe in the future, libraries will be the place you will have to go to experience reading and touching a “real” book. - Jan
