Our recent e-reading report has received a lot of attention over the past week, and one section in particular that seemed to spark conversation was our “print vs. e-books” showdown:
We asked people who read both print books and e-books in the past year which format they thought was better for a variety of situations. We found that people prefer e-books when they need a book quickly, when they want a wide selection, or when they want to read “on-the-go” while commuting or traveling. Print, meanwhile, is the preferred format for “social reading,” such as sharing books with others or reading with a child.
And when it comes to the time-honored tradition of reading in bed? The verdict was split: 45% say e-books are best here, while 43% prefer print.
Here are more links to interesting discussions we’ve noticed around the web:
- E-book revolution: We’re reading more than ever [The Christian Science Monitor’s Chapter & Verse blog]
- Rise in E-Book Readership Is Good News for Reading Over All, Report Says [Wired Campus, The Chronicle of Higher Education]
- E-books spur reading among Americans, survey shows [CNN.com]
- Per the Latest Pew Study, the Most Social Way to Read Is Still in Print [The Atlantic]
What do you think? If you’re a “dual-format reader,” when does print win out over e-books (and vice versa?) How have e-books changed your reading habits—if at all? Hop over to our Facebook page and let us know!