Why eBooks are Here to Stay

               In class this semester, we have thoroughly discussed the possibility that printed books are on their way out. Barnes & Noble is continuously closing stores around the country. College textbooks are losing value because of the ever-growing presence of online textbooks. Bookshelves around the nation are losing significant, while millions of files are being downloaded everyday. As an English major, I obviously have a lot of opinions on the current shift taking place in the book and printing culture, and they are not as negative as one might think they would be. The following are three takeaways from class and my personal life about why digital books are improving the reader’s experience.

1.Digital books open a world of endless possibilities

·      I’ll admit it. I have converted to eBooks in my personal life. I use the standard app on my iPad, iBook. There are several reasons that I like iBook. First off, there are thousands upon thousands of options to purchase books at the tip of my finger. All it takes is a quick search and press of a button. This summer I read Happy by Alex Lemon. I searched three different bookstores, none of which carried the book in stores. Instead of waiting a week to have it shipped to the store or my house, I downloaded the book on iBook in about 30 seconds. My dad owns a Kindle, as does my aunt. They are able to share their purchases, providing each of them with double the amount of books. Not to mention- it’s easier to carry around my iPad Mini than 25+ hardcopy books. My backpack is very much appreciative of the eBook phenomena.

2.Digital books are greater resources than hardcopy books.

·      How many times have you been reading a novel or textbooks and come across a word that is completely foreign to you? Often times readers do not take the time to put down the books and pull out a dictionary or Internet search to research the definition. With an eBook, the middle step is taken out. In iBook, I just have to highlight a word and click “Define” and the definition pops up right on my screen. The same can be said for most eBooks, also providing thesaurus, highlights, and note-taking tools. I take a lot of notes when I read, and it is much easier to do so using an eBook than a hardcopy. I am able to highlight a word without it bleeding through the page and write in a “margin” that is legible and neatly organized and does not clutter the page. Overall, I have found it easier to learn while reading an eBook.

3.Digital books are often cheaper.

·      While this is not always the case, I have often found the eBooks are more affordable than hardcopy. For example, Happy (previously mentioned) was around $13 plus shipping at Barnes and Noble or Amazon. On iBook, I was able to download it immediately for $6. In my experience, popular books or brand new works may be closer to the same price; however, the eBook price is often considered a better opportunity cost because it does involve shipping, waiting on a book, driving to the bookstore, etc. The download is instantaneous. Additionally, many eBook companies often have a list of free downloads. While these are often unknown novels that do not have a lot of interest, there is potential that the reader reads a book that he or she enjoys at no cost. I have friends who only read the free books; they find new interests, and often an entire series will be available to download for free. In my opinion, eBooks provide more benefits for a lower price than hardcopy books.

While I love snuggling up in bed with a cup of coffee and good book, I have substituted my original copy of To Kill a Mockingbird with a digital copy. There are certainly benefits to sticking with hardcopy, something I have done with college textbooks. Despite the longstanding success of the printing and publishing industry, I believe that print culture is going to continue to change, shifting toward online and digital and the primary, preferred method for readers.

Books: A Pathway to Free Thinking

            One simply cannot argue the fact that books provide knowledge, instruction, and understanding. While in today’s world books are typically viewed as a positive influence on society, this was not always the case. Back in the Dark Ages and in the early 16^th and 17^th centuries, many viewed books as dangerous because they might lead to free thought. While watching the film The Name of the Rose, I began to think about my own reading experiences. Is it possible that reading can actually be dangerous in today’s society?

            In The Name of the Rose, reading was very limited. The Bible was one of the only books that people were allowed to read, specifically the monks in the monasteries, or the abbey. While the abbey was home to one of the world’s greatest libraries, the books were locked up where only the head librarian and his assistant were allowed to read them. There was a fear that the monks’ minds would be poisoned by the content, veering their minds away from God’s teachings. This can be compared to “banned books” lists that are in many schools today. One example of this is the Harry Potter series. Many parents believe that the content of the novels (witchcraft, magic, elves, etc.) causes the children’s minds to be corrupted. Despite this, I do not think that the banned books of today are as extreme as the restrictions of the Dark Ages depicted in The Name of the Rose.

            In terms of my own reading, I do not think that books should be banned or restricted, except maybe X-rated material. In my opinion, books are a gateway to positive change. Andrew Guzaldo says, “Books are only but a mirror of what knowledge we desire, in our minds and in our hearts.” I can relate to this quote because of my relationship with books. I often read books that are of interest to me or related to something that I am learning. If books were difficult to access, then it would be more difficult to receive some knowledge.

The argument for banning books with violence can attempt to be made. Perhaps if a child is not allowed to read about guns and murders than maybe he or she will be less likely to grow up to be a killer. If books with drugs and alcohol were banned, maybe that would create a positive correlation for a child’s future. Despite these types of claims that seem to be in line, I think that it does not make logical sense to put blame on a book. Books open doors to learning; the reader decides what actions to take based on the gained knowledge. While books may hold the power to put negative thoughts in someone’s head or exposure unpleasant images, the ultimate power of the books lies within the reader.

Writing on the Wall: A Problem with Social Media

           160 characters. That’s all you get to tell the world your extreme political opinions or your wild Friday night out with the girls or your intense addiction to Netflix original Orange is the New Black, at least on Twitter. Twitter is just one of several social media outlets that consume people’s lives. A main source of information, news and sharing, social media sites like Twitter have conjured a following unlike any other area of business…. and I don’t believe this is something to be proud of. In this blog, I am going to highlight three “positives” of social media that were discussed in class and explain how they are actually negatively affecting society.

“Social media connects people.”

·      Although social media connects people, we are losing our lack of personal intimate relationships. 

·      Social media is creating a wedge between how we connect - its harder to connect in person because its so much easier to connect via device rather than taking the time to meet up with an actual human being.

·      It is also creating a lack of connection with the world around us. Instead of looking up and meeting new people and connecting with the culture of places, we want to take pictures or text who we already know about what is going on rather than talking to someone new and learning about new ideas and people.

“Social media is the easiest way to share things.”

·      We are losing our patience. We want things fast and don’t think on a deeper level because we are quick to write something and send it or post it instead of take the time to think about what we are reading/sharing.

·      There is a lack of privacy. We share so much that we lose intimacy; things are shared so easily that it's not safe. People can hack into media, and it’s all so new that we really don’t know all that can be “stolen” from us through what we post

“Social media is the best way to get information.”

·      We may be able get news quicker and stay connected with the world around us, but social media has altered us from observing what is around us to being glued to lit up screens.

·      Social media increases the ability for false information to be sent out and spread quicker than someone can spit out the facts and correct any untrustworthy data

·      Social media makes us lazy. We would rather read a 140-character tweet than read full details in a paper or magazine. We are at full mercy of the sites we are using to get our information rather than taking the time to research for the facts.