The Pros and Cons of eBooks
I love going to a bookstore or library, picking up different books based on interest or pretty covers, and flipping through the pages to get an idea of what that book might be about. The classic "book smell" is always something special, too. I never thought I would be someone who would enjoy a book in a digital format. However, I opened up to the idea, and I now have different apps on my phone, such as Libby, Apple Books, and my own public library. I have a tablet that I read books on every now and then, although I have not made the full switch to a Kindle just yet (I am considering it though). I still purchase actual books that I can touch and smell and place with my growing collections on a number of bookcases. I do appreciate an eBook or any digital literary content, but I think it's important to address the pros and cons of this format, especially for those who might be against reading digital books like I once was long ago.
Digital content available at any time, anywhere
You will have to have an internet connection first, of course. However, if I have downloaded a book to my phone using Libby, for example, I can access that book without that connection. My favorite thing to do is have a book picked out before a flight, and then I can read that book until I arrive at my destination while my phone is on airplane mode. I use my phone most of the time for eBooks, which is much more compact than a physical book, so I can always take it with me without worrying about damaging the book in a bag, spilling something on it, or having books take up too much space in my luggage.
It is always fun to browse for books in libraries and bookstores, but looking for eBooks can be enjoyable, too. Apps have different browsing features and filters to toggle, such as popular or new books, things that were just added to the online library, and you can also search among genres, too. You can do this at libraries and bookstores as well, but it is much easier to browse on your phone when you have every eBook in one place on a designated platform.
This is obvious, but eBooks are digital, and they are typically read on a phone or tablet device. You can buy or borrow as much as you want without taking up space at home. I have stacks of books sitting around in different places right now because I do not have space on my bookcases anymore. It is a good problem to have, but I would not have to worry about it if they were eBooks.
One of my favorite features on Libby is the "available now" filter when I browse for books. This simply means that users do not have this book checked out right now. I can download it instantly and read it without delay, rather than waiting for a user to finish it and return it.
This, of course, goes along with the instant access that eBooks can offer to users. They are quick to access when searching for one, and they are convenient because you can access them from anywhere, even after library hours!
There are digital barriers (consider the Digital Divide, for instance), and everyone does not have access to digital materials. As mentioned above, eBooks are typically accessed on phones or tablets (or Kindles), and these are expensive devices that are not easily attainable unless you have the funds to make the purchase. There are still the physical books in libraries, of course (as well as services and resources), but that does not dismiss the digital barrier that is a current and growing issue in the library science world.
Power supply and Internet required
This also connects to modes of access, considering that eBooks are only accessible on certain devices that require a continuous power source and online connectivity. Devices are already expensive enough, but if there are users without shelter, for example, then they will face the most barriers in accessing these resources.
Access can be costly to the user when they acquire the tools to read eBooks, but the digital books are also more expensive for libraries, too. In this article from The New Yorker, Gross said the following:
"Libraries can buy print books in bulk from any seller that they choose, and, thanks to a legal principle called the first-sale doctrine, they have the right to lend those books to any number of readers free of charge. But the first-sale doctrine does not apply to digital content. For the most part, publishers do not sell their e-books or audiobooks to libraries—they sell digital distribution rights to third-party venders, such as OverDrive... These rights often have an expiration date, and they make library e-books 'a lot more expensive, in general, than print books.'"
Connectivity distractions
I often read eBooks on my phone, but this comes with so many distractions. For example, I might receive a notification from an app or a text from someone, and then I go off and do something only to realize that I have been away from my book for an hour. I generally do not have this problem when reading a physical book because I am more likely to remove those distractions.
This is a pet peeve of mine to hear that certain books are not "real books" just because people don't like them. Digital books are real books. They count as real books. Making them digital just changes the format. It's the same for an audiobook, too. It all counts!
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