I used to be an avid. traditional book reader. I was one of those people who either had a tattered, well-loved, dog-eared book in hand or was eagerly digging into a new-just-released-novel (isn’t the initial cracking of the spine so deliciously satisfying?). I read everywhere, all the time, during 15 minute breaks at work, the precious time between classes, on the bus - until I realized I got car sick, before bed, if I had time when I woke up … there was always a book.
Then I discovered the world of e-readers.
I purchased one for my Aunt who had expressed interest in the Kindle Paper White back in 2013. And even as I was checking out on my virtual Amazon cart, I turned my nose up at the very idea of reading on a piece of fancy plastic. Wasn’t that taking away from the reading experience? The long, languid hours of hearing the pages rustle as you travelled on a literary adventure, the weight of the book in your hands, the bittersweet stab of pain when it inevitably slipped and smacked you in the face … no, e-readers were most certainly NOT my cup of tea.
Until … I saw my Aunt upload over 150 books on her Kindle. 150 books all in a 6x6” tablet.
It was absolutely magical.
I purchased a Kindle Paperwhite for myself the next day and donated 80 books to my local library the following week. Books that I absolutely love and hold dear to me have coveted space on my bookshelf, books that I’ve collected over the years, however that traditional book collection has remained quite stagnant over the past two years.
I’m completely drawn to the ease of purchasing/downloading/borrowing e-books and I truly think its an avenue worth exploring.
Reading time for me is right before bed, with my Kindle. The adjustable settings allow me to decrease the brightness of the screen, but I’m sure it still thwarts my circadian rhythms. The pure luxurious convenience that an e-reader boasts makes up for the terrible sleep pattern.
With our academic readings online and available to download as .pdf files, it is even more convenient to read on an e-reader. It is also environmentally friendly. Though I do recognize the indescribable comfort in having a tangible bound book to hold versus the cold plastic of an e-reader, the convenience of a Kindle overshadows the novelty of a book every time.
~ Fareh
I totally agree that it's convenient, although I'm not much of a Kindle user - since I'm always on my laptop - being able to download academic readings has definitely saved a lot of trees and money. I think Graduate schools have taken note to have freely accessible electronic articles and e-books for students rather than having to purchase them ourselves. Out of all the classes that I've had these past two years, only two required students to purchase a physical copy of a book.
ReplyDelete- Raquel
Thank you for the comment, Raquel!
ReplyDeletePhysical copies of books are almost being phased out in favour of digital copies (it does save the environment) but accessibility issues may arise when it comes to online readings and also personal preferences as well - you mentioned you aren't a big Kindle user - and I know many people who prefer laptops and physical print to smaller e-reader screens. I wonder how Graduate schools will accommodate student readings in the future ....
~ Fareh