Ebooks: Love them or hate them they are a technological development that is here to stay. So, it was somewhat surprising to see that a bookstore in Portland, Oregon is calling ebook readers “soulless faux-literary technology” and is offering to give out “good old fashioned books” in exchange for Kindles. The Microcosm store is offering between $139 to $189 worth of books for any Kindle that is handed over to them. They argue that ebook readers are fad technology that is killing print (but at the same time do not reveal if the Kindles will be donated, resold or trashed).
The argument that ebooks supplant printed books is simply preposterous. There is a market for both ebooks and their printed counterparts. To claim that ebooks are causing the downfall of print resources is just a knee-jerk reaction to something new, something different. New and different doesn’t mean inferior or superior.
Somewhere along the line (probably with the success of the Amazon’s Kindle and their announcement that ebooks are now outselling printed books), people started pitting ebooks and printed books against each other, which is really quite silly. The intellectual content is exactly the same, only the delivery method is different. And furthermore, each format has their pros and cons, and neither format has to be used exclusively by readers. According to a Newsweek poster published on August 10, 2010, only 15-percent of ebook reader owners will actually stop purchasing printed books.
Why not embrace all formats, hardcover, paperback, audiobooks and ebooks? Just like there is a reader for every book, there is a publishing format right for every situation. There are several factors to consider when selecting a book. First of all, due to digital rights management issues not all publishers and authors are releasing books in e-formats or audio formats, so you may simply be limited by availability. Second, what is the purpose for reading the material? School assignments, leisure, or research. Your intent and purpose for reading will greatly impact format selection. Third, what type of access do you need to the book? Do you need search capabilities for research, electronic notes or space to write notes within the margins, a tangible object for gift giving or a book signing, auditory features necessary to accommodate special needs, the option to lend, donate or the sell the book, or the convenience of carrying multiple books in one lightweight device? Lastly, what format brings you the most personal joy?
In some ways, having multiple formats of books is just like having multiple types of shoes, there are times and places when one type is better than other. There are other times when just about any type of shoe would work, but you are just in the mood for strappy heels instead of the platform sandals.
So just like there is no need to toss out your pumps in favor of flats only, there is no need to ignore printed books in favor of your new Kindle and Nook. But at the same time taking your Nook to bed makes you no less of a bibliophile than the reader who is snuggled up with a ratty old copy of Tale of Two Cities.
Embrace the content over the container.
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