There is something to be said for physical books--the weight, the smell, the bookmark indicating how far along you are in the reading--but maybe those delights pale in comparison to technological advances now or in the future. In "The Surprisingly Big Business of Library E-books," Gross (2021) credited the COVID-19 lockdown for a rapid growth in the use of e-books. Now that we are a couple of years past it (though still recovering from our trauma), I wonder if e-book sales have waned. I doubt it.
A senior patron I know prefers e-books now for the following reasons:
- Not as heavy to hold and read
- Not as heavy to carry; you can take lots of books with you on a single device
- You can make the print as large as you need to
- Dictionary definitions on demand
- Easily referring back to the first time a character is introduced "X-Ray" app, she called it
- Remote access; no need to go to the library
Audiobooks have reached new audiences--including me, recently, for this class. Reading, once a favorite pastime, has become difficult for me, so I chose to listen to five books over the past couple of months. Instant appeal factors:
- I have always been a slow reader, hearing the words in my head as I read, so listening takes no longer than reading does. However this may be a strike against audiobooks for fast readers
- Talented voice actors can do different voices for different characters, making dialogue easier to follow. The House in the Cerulean Sea, read by Daniel Henning, succeeded in doing character voices.
- Talented voice actors can also convey emotion, alter the pace to match the story, and use accents and slang that are foreign to the reader. Crook Manifesto, read by Dion Graham, does a wonderful job with pacing, emotion, and slang. "Shee-iiiit" needs to be read aloud a certain way.
- Of course, there are also untalented voice actors. Or talented voice actors reading dumb books (I'm looking at you Will Wheaton, for your reading of Ready Player One).
- Easier to focus on than a printed book
- Somehow also easy to be doing something else while listening--I like paint by numbers.
I am so glad that this class has made you into an audiobook reader! I really enjoyed hearing your own personal appeal factors, as well as the comments from your patron. As an avid audio/e-book user, I agree with many of them!
ReplyDeleteOne appeal factor that you mentioned that stood out was that you are able to focus better on audiobooks than print books. I have not had that experience. Usually I can focus on printed books without an issue, probably because I am holding the book and don't really have another thing to distract me. With audiobooks, I am often trying to listen while also doing something else, so there is more of a chance of losing focus.
Thanks, Liz. I think that having an audiobook running forces me to pay attention so I don't miss anything... I still miss whole sentences, so it's not ideal. I look forward to finding enough peace to read a "real" book again
DeleteI don't typically read ebooks, but I will agree the instant link to dictionary definitions is a very nice perk! I read The Count of Monte Cristo as a ebook and had to look up many words! I also chose the digital format because it was such a chunky book to hold. You compiled a very thorough and thoughtful list of the benefits to digital materials!
ReplyDeleteI haven't listen to an audiobook so I worry about focusing on the book. I like paint by numbers too! So, I might try this combination. I thought you did a great job listing the benefits of both eBooks and audiobooks.
ReplyDeleteHi Jenni,
ReplyDeleteI like how you paired an activity with your painting. When I read The Giver in high school I paired it with listened to Depeche Mode, and I think they pair well.
I had not considered the part about a link to definitions of words. I didn't really think about reading nonfiction for e-books. I think of reading e-books and audiobooks more for fiction. Although, I feel like non-fiction books are being replaced by databases as well.
I also love that you can do other things while listening to audiobooks. I personally love to go swimming with my waterproof MP3 and a few chapters of an audiobook loaded onto it. It is the best part of audiobooks in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI like your paint by numbers piece. And you make a good point about the narration versus how you "hear" it in your head. That's really interesting to me.
ReplyDeleteLove the paint by number piece! When I listen to audiobooks I am usually driving, folding laundry, or cross stitching. I love how you brought up different points for each. Great job!
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