Electronic books verses paper book Essay

Reading is a big part of our lives, whether you are reading for work, school or pleasure, books, newspapers or magazines, it is something that most people do on a daily basis. Today, there are different ways you can read: either electronically or by paper. Electronic devices are starting to run our lives, by getting an e-book or e-reader (kindle, nook, iPad, etc†¦) reading could change for the average reader. Electronic readers are better than paper books. Having an electronic reader can be very convenient. You can rent or buy books, magazines, and newspapers for free from virtual libraries similar to the way you would from your local public library. There are a lot more books available through the virtual library. Since it is a virtual library, you are using Wi-Fi and you can instantly receive your reading material electronically. Usually when you rent a book from the virtual library, you can have it for as long as you like, but are limited to one book month. However, it is quicker than getting in your car and driving to the library or store to get a book. â€Å"The convenience of downloads saves transportation costs and reduces carbon emissions from book distribution and consumer travel to and from bookstores. † (Maxwell & Miller, 2013, para. 4). Loaning books to family or friends is a bit easier with having the psychical book to give. Yet, some devices may allow you to share downloaded books with others. All things are faulty in life. â€Å"As convenient as the use of different e-readers can be, technology isn’t always reliable. † (Taylor, 2013, para.4). Since e-readers are an electronic device, you have to charge the battery; however, it can last for a month or two. The screen can break on e-readers just as easy as a page can tear out of a book. You can change the font size if you have difficulty reading small print and you can also adjust the screen brightness so you can read in the sunlight or in the dark. Paper books do not need to hold a charge for you to enjoy and the screen will not ever break, but pages can tear. The font size is what you get and it cannot be altered on what is already printed. It is nice to have a collection of books and you can do that with either an e-reader or paper books. With your e-reader you can carry all of your books at once and your paper books can be on display in your home. E-readers are pretty slim and light-weight, some books can almost double the weight and be bulky. For the average college student, e-readers may be better so they are not carrying a few different heavy books around campus. Electronic readers are much more diverse than paper books. There are a dictionaries built into e-readers, so you can look up a word just by highlighting it. A great feature to e-readers is it has a bookmark to save your place. Turning the page is as simple as a tap or swipe along the screen of the e-reader, whereas with a paper book or newspaper you physically flip the pages. Reading with children may be better with paper books, but tablets can be used as an e-reader and games and learning applications can be downloaded for children. â€Å"Many e-readers also offer Web browsing, games, music, movies and an endless array of apps such as The Weather Channel or Microsoft Office to enhance the user experience† (Cancio, 2011, para. 3). Children growing up today will probably be reading more things electronically at school, so getting them use to the electronic devices young can be a good thing. With technology advancing so rapidly, it can be hard to keep up with the advancements. Paper books are great if you are a book collector who wants to show off those books and if you do not mind carrying them around. In the long run, e-readers can be more convenient and cost efficient because of the discount on the books being electronic instead of printed. If you enjoy reading while traveling, lying in bed, and want to have a large selection of books to choose from and receive them quickly, e-readers are the better option for you. References Brown, Taylor. (2013, October 3). The best of both worlds: E-readers vs. traditional books. Cal Times. Retrieved from http://sai. calu. edu/caltimes/index. php/2013/10/03/the-best-of-both-worlds-e-readers-vs-traditional-books/ Cancio, C. (2011, March 7). Are e-readers making books obsolete? Retrieved from http://electronics. howstuffworks. com/gadgets/other-gadgets/e-readers-making-books-obsolete. htm Maxwell, R. , Miller, T. (2013, September 5). Greening the media. Psychology Today. Retrieved from http://www. psychologytoday. com/blog/greening-the-media/201309/don-t-be-misled-about-paper-versus-electronic-books