 "Photo: Anne Karasek")
They fill up bookshelves and occupy libraries. We use them for our classes and enjoy them during our free time. We encounter them everyday and there is no way to get away from them. Print books are a part of our everyday life.
Whether for research or fun, we are constantly turning pages to get the information we need or to unveil a story. Although print books are extremely helpful multifarious, there always seems to be a problem with them.
Whether it's the size, weight or number of them, print books can be a hassle. Print books can take up space quickly and become heavy when carrying more than one.
Luckily, there is an alternative. E-books became popular in a short amount of time and eliminated many of the problems one faces using print books.
Whether it's the Nook, Kindle or any other brand, electronic book readers have easily found a place in our technology-dependent society. They have been quickly accepted due to their many features. Like downloading music from iTunes, books can be downloaded from popular websites.
While convenient for us, it causes problems for the competitors. According to David Streitfeld from the New York Times, these websites, like Amazon, have made bookstores less and less popular. E-books make it easy to get books at home or on the go. No more waiting in line till midnight for a popular new release.
E-books not only make getting books stress-free, they can also store more than one book on the same device. No more extra weight trying to carry more than one book. Hundreds of books can fit on the same, small, portable device. The e-books not only make numerous books more manageable but it also works for magazines and newspapers.
After purchasing a subscription, magazines and newspapers are "delivered" directly to the device. Older issues can also be saved for reading later. Besides being another fascinating gadget, e-books also have a positive impact. The paperless alternative is better for the environment. Isn't that reason enough to consider one?
It's no surprise that the e-books come with price tag. But considering the many features, it might be worth it. It's the same information we encounter everyday just in a different, more convenient form, which is unfortunate for the bookstores. It seems like bookstores are starting to die slowly with the rising popularity of the e-book.
They simply don't stand much of a chance against the cool electronic alternative. There was once a time when the bookstore was the only place you could get a long awaited release. It seems like those days are close to being gone. Although there is nothing like the excitement of waiting in the middle of the night for the next installment of a series, wouldn't it be simpler to just download the book and have it at our fingertips in a matter of minutes?
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