E-Readers

Bobby Steurer · February 2021

Hello Community,

Due to a lot of downsizing and purging of items, I'm at a point in my life where most of the media I consume is now digital. I was streaming on Spotify more than spinning vinyl. Clicking terrible movies on Prime Video rather than paying $3.99 for a DVD copy.

But one thing I can't really let go of is books. I don't know if it's the way they look, the ease on my eyes (I have a hard time reading long-form on a screen), or what. I just have a lot of them, and they take up a lot of space. I don't go back and read many of them, but I enjoy the read while it's happening.

So, I've been thinking about investing in an e-reader. Anyone here have experience? How is it on the eyes? Are e-books cool, or are they glitchy?

Let me know your thoughts. Or heck, maybe even let me know why I should continue with physical books.

Appreciated.

-Bobby

Marie Stark · February 2021

I always thought i would never get an e-reader, until I won one at a conference.

I love it. It It is easy on the eyes. You can adjust the font. It's light and easy to carry, and holds tons of books.

Although you can bookmak pages, its not as easy as a book to scroll through or go back to a certain page. But overall I really like it.

Aldera Chisholm · February 2021

I'm an avid e-reader user. Have had a Kobo for YEARS. And I'm a true book lover - I work at a library! I can't tell you much about Kindle, which I know is bigger in the US but the reason I like Kobo is I can directly link to my library and download loans and they just self-expire so I don't have to worry about forgetting to return them. The screen is not comparable to reading on an ipad or tablet, they use a very different system of lighting and text which you can adjust for brightness and readability. I have insomnia issues, so I love being able to put it in "candlelight" mode and read quietly at night without disturbing my partner.

You can also highlight passages and make notes, if you are into that. My favourite is when I finish a book in a series, mine will prompt: here is the next book in the series, would you like to download it now?

The only downside for me - realizing you have 1% power left and can't find your power-cord. I read in the bath, so I shelled out a few extra bucks for the waterproof one, but I'm still afraid of dropping it.

All that being said, some books I still get in hardcover if it's something I want to keep and re-read, or get signed. But anything that was a paperback read is now on my ereader.

Katherine Swank · February 2021

I come from a library family. My sister is a librarian, my cousin is a librarian, my father's mother had the library phone number on speed-dial back in the day..... I love the touch of a book in my hands, the cover or the page length of a book can seduce me, the smell of a book is like the finest cologne to my nose - so e-Books seemed like such a betrayal for me, something less experiential - until Covid-19. With my local library shut down and my fervent desire to keep my monthly budget intact, I looked more closely at e-Books. Through the Libby app for books on my iPad and the Kanopy app for movies on my Roku device and Kanopy app for magazines, also on the iPad, I've found a way to "preview" books/magazines that I want to own or touch or hold. I'm willing to check it out online but if I find it of interest - I try to check it out at the library or find it for sale online or the title goes onto my thrift store "Looking For" list (yes, that too is paper and pen since I like the feel of the TUL mini-discbound-notebook as well.) Personally, Readers have their place, but it's not my main choice of reading style.

Austen Brown · February 2021

I have both - e-Reader and personal library of books. I try to re-read the hard copy books I already own and buy/borrow new books on the e-Reader. I use a Kindle - you can add an app to link with your library account, and amazon has a kindle unlimited subscription where you pay a flat fee per month and can download up to 10 books at a time to read. You should also check out Audible.

Heather MacKenzie · February 2021

Find your local library - this means you give the books back when you're finished reading them! But seriously, even during COVID, libraries are a good friend this way.

Bobby Steurer · February 2021

Thanks for the excellent responses, all. I'm excited to see what the e-world is like.

Susan Raymer · February 2021

Hi Bobby,

I am a bibliophile. Love reading. I have a lot of books. I actually use both formats. I have an Amazon Fire 10"tablet for e-books, more the size of an average hardcover, easy to read, lighting excellent, lighter than a book, holds a ton of books. The books I buy or lend from the library for this are more fiction that I will probably only read once or books that are no longer availalbe in hardcover. Electronic prices are usually quite a bit cheaper, but not always for brand new books. I really don't like paperbacks. BUT that said, I really love to read actual books. There is something about holding it and flipping the pages, feeling the pages......no electricity or batteries needed. These tend to be more non-fiction books across a variety of topics that I will go back to time and again. Not sure if that helps or not, but sure makes me want to snuggle down in a cozy chair and crack open a book. Have a great weekend!

Susan Raymer

Rachel Cavalier · February 2021

I LOVE my e-reader. It's super handy for reading on the bus or train (or, one day when going on holiday...) because it fits in my bag a lot easier than a paper book and then there's none of the "well, I'm nearly at the end of my current book, better bring another just in case" because it's already there!

I do also love paper books, because for me, at least, it's easier to remember where I thing you read is on the page to go back to with dead tree books - so if I'm doing any essays etc or something, then everything has to be on paper for that so my brain can handle it geographically (so I end up printing out the academic papers I want to go back to and reference as well).

The handy thing is that my local library has BorrowBox so I can borrow e-books from them too. The other great thing is digital comic books - I'm not sure I'm spending less on comics, but the digital ones sure do take up a lot less room in the house...

Aldera Chisholm · February 2021

Katherine Swank‍ So grateful for the Libby app! With our library system still closed - it's been such a life-saver for me!

Patti Hommes · February 2021

I love my Kindle Fire!! It goes with me everywhere and I don't have to worry about the pages getting messed up, or in the case of a paperback, the cover. And if I decide to switch from the novel I am reading to reading something else - it's all right there!

Bobby Steurer · March 2021

Sweet! I've heard many positive things about the Fire line.

E-Readers

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