Physical Books

Paper books: the classic, age old way to read. Just like today, people centuries ago could curl up in a comfy chair with a hot beverage and pull out a book.

Pros:

• Easier on the eyes – Because it’s physical and not digital, you are less likely to get a headache or tired eyes. The blue light from screens can also impact your ability to sleep, so if you like to read before bed, physical books are better.
• You stay more focused – When you don’t have notifications popping up to distract you, you can stay more focused on what you’re reading and be more engaged in the book.
• You absorb more information – Studies have shown that people who read physical books remember the plot and details of what they read better than those who read ebooks
• More motivation – With a paper book, you can easily see your progress. By seeing how much of the book you have left until the end, you might be more motivated to keep reading it.
• They’re sensory – A lot of people prefer physical books for the way they impact their senses. The feel and smell of the pages and the sound of flipping pages are a few examples. Physical books feel nostalgic and cozy.

Cons:

• Less portable – Compared to your phone, a physical book is much harder to bring on a trip with you. A book can’t fit in your pocket, so you can’t easily read on a plane or long drive.
• More delicate – The paper in physical books can be easily torn or spilled on, and the cover and spine can get worn out and bent. In the wrong hands, or in a tight space like a backpack, a physical book could become ruined.
• Inaccessible – A print book is not very accessible for the blind or visually impaired. There aren’t a lot of large print editions of books easily available, but with an ebook, you can enlarge the font size as much as you want or have the text read aloud. With a physical book, magnification equipment is usually needed to be able to see it.
• Take up space – Physical books take up a lot of space, whether that’s on a shelf or in a bag. Because of this, you’re limited on how many books you can have.

Junior Taylor Morton says that she prefers reading physical books. “I find it easier to pay attention to the story with the book in my hand since it’s a physical object.”

Staff member Mrs. Jolley also likes physical books the most. “There’s nothing like the feeling of reading a book from cover to cover! I prefer seeing progress as I read through a book physically and it’s a nice break from scrolling and audio.”