Source: http://www.liberalartscolleges.org/blog/2010/10-reasons-why-a-paperback-is-better-than-an-e-reader/

Until recently, nothing has challenged traditional reading quite as much as the introduction of the e-reader, an electronic reading device that displays books in a digital format. E-readers have catered to the changing times and rise of technology with lightweight designs, Internet access and having your own personal electronic library on the go. What e-readers don’t have is the longevity and simplicity of paperbacks that can be read anywhere, anytime. It’s truly hard to replace the feel, smell and beauty of a bound book, but it’s up to the readers to determine the fate of paperback books. Here are 10 reasons why a paperback is better than an e-reader:

* No Wi-Fi needed

With paperbacks, you don’t have to worry about connecting to the Internet to read your favorite romance novel, or download the latest New York Times best sellers. With ebooks, you’ll need a wireless hookup to browse the online libraries and buy or download books. For older e-reader versions, you have to connect to a computer to download ebooks on the Internet, which means more hassle and more reading time taken away for technology purposes.

* No charging necessary

Paperbacks are fully charged and fully functional all the time. There’s no battery included, no charging required and they have an unlimited shelf life. With e-readers, you may have a battery life of two weeks or less before they go kaput during a road trip when you’re halfway through a book. Not to mention, the life span of an e-reader is probably only a couple years.

* Inexpensive

Paperback books are far more economical than e-readers, which can put you out upwards of $400 to $500, not including the cost of downloading ebooks and additional gadgets. Depending on where you shop, you may spend a few dollars or $20 dollars on a book that can be passed on to friends, bought back by a bookstore or donated. Also, there’s always the option of checking out books from the library at no cost to you.

* Travels easily

Traveling with e-readers can be a huge hassle, especially in airports, because you have to remove your device from its case and send it through the security check separately. A book takes no time to scan and can be left in your bag because it doesn’t require a separate check. E-readers can’t be used on the plane when the captain tells passengers to turn off all electronic devices, but paperbacks can be read during any flight time.

* You can recycle, donate and sell back books

Paperbacks can be recycled, donated or sold to a bookstore, resale shop, school, church and anywhere else books are needed. You can sell back books and get more than half of your money back in online marketplaces, bookstores or book sales. Because electronic reading devices are so new and expensive, they won’t be donated or recycled any time soon.

* Read whenever, wherever

Whether you’re in a park, on the subway or floating in a swimming pool, you can safely read a paperback book, without worrying that you’ll be $400 down the drain. The portability of paperbacks far exceeds the portability of ebooks because they are battery-free, durable and don’t require Internet access. Paperbacks can survive coffee spills, days at the beach and being dropped in a puddle, whereas the electronic competitor would be a goner in no time.

* No eye strain or blinding glare

You won’t have to worry about eye strain after reading a paperback, nor will you have a LCD screen blinding you. Sure, you can adjust the brightness of the e-reader’s screen, but there is no backlight included for reading in the dark.

* No technical problems

E-readers can be defective and have annoying software problems that disrupt your reading. Paperbacks don’t experience technical problems, software bugs or crashes. Paperback books are simple and technology-free, which makes them user-friendly for any age.

* Illustrations

Illustrations have an important role in children’s books, cookbooks and how-to books to guide the reader and aid in storytelling. Book illustrations provide a visual representation of what’s happening in the story and it breaks up the monotony of text. Some ebooks don’t contain illustrations or omit images that aren’t referred to at great length in the text. E-readers just don’t have the same artistic elements that books have.

* Unlimited borrowing and lending

Depending on your personal lending policy, there is usually no limit to how long you let a friend borrow your book. With many e-readers, you have a maximum amount of days you can borrow a book before it goes back to its rightful owner or has to be check out again. The ease of borrowing and checking out books from the library makes paperbacks a more convenient process.

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