What eReaders mean for the future of the good old-fashioned book

By Rachael Renz
January 5, 2011

I knew this was coming. I knew everything would change and I hate it. Why must eReaders brainwash the newest generation of readers? Is it pure laziness? Is it convenience? Is there a sudden lack of love for the tangible book?

Plain and simple, I hate eReaders. For one, one of my favorite stores is Barnes and Noble. I completely and utterly love going to Barnes and Noble, buying a tall hot chocolate and browsing the Fiction and Literature section. I find my monthly and sometimes weekly trip to be relaxing and entertaining, all at the same time.

The fact that everyone and their mother are buying Nooks, Kindles or any other eReader is heartbreaking.

-Source - MCT

I suppose it’s because they are convenient and society today is obsessed with any new electronic merchandise they can get their hands on. Buying an eReader takes away from the entire experience of buying a book. Turning on your eReader, purchasing a book and then electronically flipping through the pages, now how robotic is that?

Another reason why I hate eReaders is because I feel very passionate about bookcases. I know, it sounds weird and a bit pretentious. But, one of my dreams since I was little was to have a built-in bookcase that has the shelves embedded into the walls. I imagined having a high ladder that you can reach books on the tenth shelf without a problem.

To me, displaying my books on my bookcase is a conversation starter and in one way, almost a trophy shelf. I love collecting the books I have read and putting them on my bookcase. I’ve had friends in my room who say, “Wow, you’ve read Atlas Shrugged?” and it starts not only a conversation but also a connection. You can’t display your books on an eReader! What kind of connection can you make with someone over a Kindle or Nook?

When people buy these eReaders, they are essentially ending the world of book retail. Yes, Barnes and Noble owns the Nook so they are bringing in annual revenue but that cannot last forever.

Eventually, the Nook will become the main source for reading and Barnes and Noble won’t be needed. Reports say that stores like Barnes and Noble and Borders will be completely out of business within the next 10 years.

And suppose I was forced to buy an eReader because believe me, this purchase will not be voluntary. Can I transport the books I have already purchased to the eReader? I easily have 100 plus books, so what value is an eReader to me?

One of the Nook commercials shows a mother and child using the Nook to “read” a children’s story. The Nook is shown to have the capabilities of having an automated voice to read to the child when they tap on a word or phrase.

Now, I understand that this tool can assist in teaching children to read but from what I personally understood from this commercial is that it can also handicap children’s reading abilities. Children will become complacent and will in laziness, tap on an entire story and have it read to them without actually learning to read effectively.

Some of my favorite memories include my father and me cuddling up on the couch, reading Goosebumps books together while my father pretended to be scared and I actually was.

Or when my mother would put a book under my pillow instead of money when I lost a tooth. Which brings me to another point. You can never give a person a book for the holidays or on a whim. These eReaders would take away every literary memory I have except the actual content.

I think everyone needs to take a breath and think before purchasing an eReader. Are these products really worth it or do we believe they are because society today is more dependent on technology than ever?

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Rachael Renz

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