E-Books

Welcome the New E-rivals

When it comes to weighing your options, it is easy to see why e-books became the more popular choice among so many. E-books refer to the electronic version of a book that can be read on a variety of devices, including but not limited to an e-reader, laptop, tablet, and smartphone. 

Benefits of e-books

There are numerous reasons why e-books are beneficial for individuals as well as institutions. Some of the most popular reasons include the fact that they are space savers - because they do not take up physical space, they are easy to store at the convenience of the user. An entire collection of books can be housed on a single device. E-books are searchable - locating information can be quick and easy. With a multi-user license - there is no need to wait ages to use a book if someone else is using it. Multiple users are able to use the book simultaneously. Some e-books even have interactive features which include the use of audio-visual material such as music and animated images, as well as videos, which can enhance the message being portrayed in the book and make available various resources within a single item, some of which may include links to other related and relevant information. Best of all they are environmentally friendly so no trees need to die in order to produce them!

E-books are no doubt very useful and convenient, but as the old saying goes, "everything that glitters is not gold" and e-books are no exception.

Challenges of e-books

• Not all titles are available in electronic format
• Many licenses require repeated payments
• If links are damaged, the books are inaccessible
• Can be pretty costly as you need to acquire the correct hardware to gain access to the book

No Right or Wrong

There is no right or wrong choice when it comes to digital vs printed books. People prefer various formats for a variety of reasons. As for myself, when it comes to having to choose between a hard-copy of a book and a soft-copy, I am still one of those old school people who enjoy paging through a book and discovering the secrets they contain within their pages. I read to escape from an otherwise "online" life and I enjoy not having to worry about my book running out of power :)