A year ago when eReaders and eBooks began to make an appearance on the market, all or almost all of us took it for sure that they would be able to displace paper books in a short time. At first the number of users who entered the world of digital reading was high, but with the passage of time this figure has stagnated worryingly, awakening nervousness in both electronic book manufacturers and publishers that They have turned to the publication of books in digital format.
It is striking that older users are those who prefer to read in digital format the most, being children and adolescents, closest to technology and everything digital, those who continue to choose books in paper format the most, or at least that is what several studies say that we are going to talk about throughout this article in the that will reveal the difficult moment that the world of digital reading is going through.
Women and men over 37 years old prefer digital books
Un recent study by Energy Sistem confirmed something that we all suspected and that is nothing other than men and women, over 37 years of age prefer digital books to the detriment of books in the traditional paper format.
These readers They mainly value that the eReader is lighter than any paper book, without highlighting at any time the options and characteristics that a book in digital format offers us and also forgetting how easy and simple it is to be able to buy a book in this format in one of the many digital bookstores that are available on the market. According to the study, for people in this age range, the comfort of the size and weight of paper books prevails, compared to many other beneficial things that electronic books offer us.
The age range reaches unsuspected limits and it is increasingly normal to see elderly people using an electronic book, in this case due to the facilities they offer, for example when changing the size or type of font , something that is not possible to do in a book in paper format.
Teens prefer to buy and read paper books
Another Nielsen study shows us that most teens still prefer to buy and read paper books. One of the main reasons, as you are surely imagining, is that they do not have access to a credit card with which to buy a digital book is much more complicated, having to turn to an adult to help them most of the time. to buy it. With this, they will also have to listen to the adult's recommendations as to what they have to read or not, something that is not usually liked by a teenager or almost anyone.
In addition and for completing the study album, in this It is also revealed that books in paper format have a special bond for adolescents. Many like to see the annotations that are made on the pages, the marks on the spines or the possibility of being able to touch it and take it anywhere.
EBooks are undoubtedly the most interesting, but in almost no physical bookstore these types of books are sold, something that greatly affects the possibility that adolescents can access them.
And children are still in love with paper books
One of the most widespread theories is that most children and adolescents prefer books in digital format, due to their enormous experience and great dependence on mobile devices, tablets or computers. However, this is far from being a reality and that is that children are still in love with books on paper.
As collected Quartz, the majority of children between 8 and 11 years old have access to electronic reading devices, although they tend to use them rather little, preferring traditional paper books without offering any explanation that allows us to understand this behavior.
Leaving the study aside, perhaps one of the reasons that the smallest of the house continue to prefer paper books is because they do what they see at home. If the parents of these little ones do not use an eReader to read, it will be difficult for the children to start using them on their own initiative. If every day you see how you enjoy reading books on paper, the easiest thing will be for you to read on that medium.
Opinion freely; something is wrong in the world of digital reading
Not too long ago we all thought without any doubt that digital books and eReaders would end up banishing paper books to the greatest oblivion. However, this is far from happening and there is no longer any doubt that something is not working in the world of digital reading. And is that It is not that eBooks have displaced books in paper format, it is that they have not even approached to make them some shade.
In some countries the market share of eReaders and eBooks is close to 20%, but in most it is no more than a few points that go completely unnoticed. As we have already said on more than one occasion, something has to change in the literature market for digital to begin to settle and enter the homes of readers.
Does it seem logical and normal to you that children continue to prefer books in the traditional paper format?. Tell us in the space reserved for comments on this entry, in our forum or through any of the social networks in which we are present.
It's a bit lazy to keep reading that if the paper wins, if the ebook blablabla ... what has to win is reading, and the rest are sensational bullshit.
That saying "most" is unprofessional. You should at least show the statistics to know the universe and how much "the majority" really is. In addition, it is a specific geographic space. And another one, you talk about children from 8 to 11, but the article talks about younger children.
Personally, I prefer my e-reader to paper books (with the exception of comics) of course, with my 59 years old I am in the range. But I LOVE that that children and young people prefer the role; that differentiates reading from any other activity carried out with a mobile (android) or tablet. Once you love reading, the medium matters little, but the content.
The explanation of why children and adolescents are more attracted to reading on paper is much simpler than it is believed.
Kids and teens alike "make them read," but they actually go by the shapes. the content is practically irrelevant. Yes the colors, the photos, the layout and ultimately the content, but as an add-on
The adult, on the other hand, "reads"; the content is fundamental, basic. Therefore, the presentation should be as aseptic as possible and devoid of any reason for distraction or deviation from reading. In addition, digital content does not take up space, it is clean, it does not leave odors, it lasts forever, it is absolutely portable (I have the complete Encyclopedia Britannica on my e-reader). more diverse genres and can be shared with amazing ease.
Children and young people prefer games, colors, music, and when reading, all these elements must be present, what matters more than, I repeat, the content.
Men children like paper more because they tend to like colors and drawings and that in an ereader ...
I have been defending for years and will always defend that for digital reading to triumph over paper, technology must improve. You need more screen sizes and not just the classic 6 ″ and you need color to be able to read comics and others in ereaders. Also the contrast should be improved (and ink is still very dark without light). And also digital books should be able to adapt more easily to the size of the screen (to see the letter well).
The day what I say is achieved, digital reading will beat paper reading, yes or yes.
I imagine a 7-8 ″ kindle in 100 grams (too much to ask I suppose) with a perfectly white background (or almost) to read novels… and then other 10-14 ″ kindles, very thin and no more than 300 grams. with a color as spectacular as that of any magazine to read precisely magazines, newspapers, comics, scientific books, textbooks ...
Who would want paper if there was this?