People may not think anything of paper books or e-books, but the topic was discussed in a University class I attended a semester or two ago. Surprisingly, the discussion became quite lively, but was left unresolved due to the several pros and cons of both types of books and the clashing personal preferences of different students.
An LA Times article describes how a study by American University linguistics professor Naomi Baron discovered that 92 percent of 300 college students in the United States, Slovakia, Japan and Germany preferred physical paper books over e-books and other electrical devices. Reasons were attributed to headaches and eyestrain produced from staring at a screen for hours and the distractions that usually occur from online textbook tools.
I agree with the 92 percentage, and not just for the practicality of it. Paper books can bring another perspective to your reading experience through the unique smell of the book, the feel of the pages between your fingertips and the physical sense of progress being made throughout your reading, whether it’s a nonfiction textbook or a fictitious novel.
My only complaints about physical books would be the price and amount of space they take up. As a person who has moved to many places and has a love for the written word, it can be a hassle to move my own mini library from one location to another and to fund my reading addiction. E-books have grown in popularity as technology progresses and are generally known to be more affordable than traditional books while taking up less space. Naturally this option seemed quite enticing for a book nerd like me, but those benefits didn’t keep my interest for long.
Nothing beats the comforting feeling of curling up with a hot cup of tea and a book. Even physical textbooks are handier, according to studies discussed in a CBS News article, because they can help people retain information better.
Every time I get to work a shift at Hill Memorial Library in the rare books department, I always think about how amazing it is to be able to hold and touch these books. Some of those books date back to the 1500s and are written in Latin, while some are more interesting than anything I have ever seen. They are all so rich in history and information, and this experience is something I could never obtain if I just went online to read the e-book copy. For mostly these reasons, I would think it important to pick up a paper book every once in awhile, even if one doesn’t care for reading.
Abigail Varnado is a 21-year-old English major from Amite, Louisiana.
Books on display during the last day of the Friends of the LSU Libraries Annual Book Bazaar on Saturday, March 11, 2017 in the 4-H Mini Barn.
