eBooks

There's something new coming to our library...eBooks! These digital books are super convenient and can be downloaded onto many devices like computers, Apple products, and others. There are plenty of places to buy your eBooks, whether it's direct from the publisher or through a different distributor. eBooks are becoming popular in schools, but it seems that everyone has different opinions on this new wave of technology.

Through research, I have found that even though eBooks are starting to make an appearance in schools, the average reader is about 40 years old. But why is this? I would have thought that the younger generations would like to have a digital copy rather than lugging around material books. Upon further inspection, it seems that younger generations actually don't prefer digital copies over their material counterparts. Instead, the average college student would rather lug around their several course books if it meant they would be able to actually touch the pages they were reading. This is because, while eBooks are convenient and useful, students say they are more likely to get distracted from their work if they're using a digital device to read for work. But what about reading for pleasure? This is where the general opinion changes. It seems that users are more likely to read from an eBook if they are reading for pleasure instead of for work or classes. Because of it's ability to carry several books on a simple mobile device, eBooks are good for readers that indulge themselves.

The convenience of eBooks are not limited to it's ability to save many novels or texts on one device. While reading on an eBook, a user can annotate and make notes right on the page without disrupting the actually text. This can be useful for students who are asked to annotate their assigned reading books for class but are not allowed to actually write on the pages themselves. Another convenience is that when a user is done with a rented eBook, they don't have to go to an actual library to return it. Instead, the copy is taken back when the due date comes.

Though the eBook has many attractive features, there is some dispute over the eBooks use in general. There are plenty of reviews written that say reading on a digital screen for extended periods of time is not good for the users eyes. But if you are set in your ways on reading via eBooks, a good way to preserve your sight is by remembering the rule of 20. The rule of 20 states that when using a digital screen the user should take a break every 20 minutes and focus on something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This will help your eyes take a quick break between reading sessions.

The trend of eBooks seems to be dependent on the type of readers that are using them. College students don't seem very impressed with this technological development but individuals that read for pleasure seem to be taking well to the conveniences that eBooks have to offer. Whether or not you read for pleasure or work should not hinder your curiosity and I recommend eBooks to anyone, if only so that you could try out a new method of reading.

sources and articles of interest:

New Study Statistics
Pros and Cons
Where to Buy
Where to Buy by Goodreads
Wiki
College Students Say...
Educationworld: ebooks in schools
Educators say...