The other side: Celebrating eBooks

Written by Giulia Caterini
Wednesday, 26 January 2011 23:00

The first time I learned about the existence of ePaper was at an airport, where a large billboard announced the arrival of the new Kindle. My first thoughts were, “This contraption is evil,” followed by, “The apocalypse is near.” As a self-proclaimed bookworm, the existence of the Kindle, the Nook, etc., meant the end of creasing the bottom corners of pages and the end of burying my face between books to smell that wonderful new-book smell. I agreed with Caroline Shavel’s past column. I thought the loss of paper was, indeed, quite lamentable.

But how lamentable is it really? Does it actually matter that we’re trading paper for a screen? For one thing, content doesn’t change. An electronic version of The Great Gatsby is not going to be any different than a paper Gatsby, so why should it matter if I read it on screen rather than on paper? Sure, concentration declines when reading an electronic screen, as research has found. But for whom? What age group? What education level? Even more importantly, it is possible to learn to adjust to a different type of reading — and I say that from personal experience, being a proud Nook owner myself.

Adjusting is worth it. According to Publishers Weekly, eBook sales are picking up significantly. In the publishing industry where selling to the public is becoming increasingly challenging, eBooks are a great opportunity. If bookstores are able to make money off of eBooks, publishing houses will be prompted to sell to those stores, as well as sponsor more writers and hire more editors. Additionally, eBooks cut the costs of printing and production, while stymying the cutting down trees. Not only will a healthy publishing industry not have to resort to firing employees, but it can also afford to invest in more writers’ ideas. Without eBooks, some amazing voices might never be heard.

Further, if people are buying the eBook devices, they are also more likely to buy books more frequently (instantaneously and at lower prices) than from a store. This also applies to newspapers and magazines. Although the news media has been on a decline, eBooks are not to blame for that. I’d point my finger at Youtube, Tumblr, and other online media publications which actually replace newspapers, unlike eBooks which, in fact, serve as outlets for book publishing. The Nook Color, for example, allows clients to subscribe to newspapers and magazines. eBooks could therefore help reverse the negative news media trend, simply because publications will be able to reach a wider audience through the devices. Personally, I have been reading the newspaper much more frequently than before I owned a Nook. It’s there, it’s available, why not subscribe and read it? Overall, in face of what there is to be gained from eBooks, the loss of paper doesn’t seem so lamentable after all.

What really is regrettable is that Publishers Weekly reports that Borders, the country’s second largest bookstore, is close to bankruptcy. Unlike Barnes and Noble and Amazon, Borders didn’t adopt the eBook business model.

The loss of actual paper therefore, while it may be accompanied by a little nostalgia, is really not worth grieving over. In fact, I’d go as far as saying that the loss of paper might even be an advantage in the long run. After all, you can’t stop progress. You might as well embrace it.

Giulia Caterini is a junior at Greenwich Academy.