The days of purchasing books from the store or renting them from the library are gone; only a significant volume of hardcore bookworms are rooting for traditional books now.
Digitization is the reason for the downward spiral of traditional books, but experts believe we’re going on the right path. When all the technologies around us have evolved, why not reading?
eBooks are flexible; they can be accessed easily and read anywhere using an electronic device or an eBook reader. They are secure and don’t take up a lot of storage space.
Plus, what’s better than reading from the comfort of anywhere you want? That is what eBooks can provide, especially in terms of education; ebooks are revolutionary. Now, teachers can add interactive elements to eBooks and make reading more fun; it also helps increase students’ concentration and focus.
Likewise, there are multiple advantages of eReading; let’s list them in this article.
What is Digital Reading?
Digital reading is the activity of reading a book or an article using an electronic device like a smartphone, tablet, or eBook reader.
Digital reading doesn’t include print-format books; you can access the books in PDF, HTML, or ePUB format. In the age of the internet, digital reading is the new norm.
For example, students might need help searching for the right information from rows of books in the library. Now, they can perform a simple online search, identify a PDF-based eBook with the answer, download it, read it and delete it. This is how simple digital reading is.
Amazon KDP is a prime example of digital reading. People can purchase their favorite books in a digital format, which are also cheaper than printed books. Plus, they can read the book using their portable devices easily.
Digital eBooks have the same benefits of reading books, but the only difference is that they are more flexible than traditional books.
What are some Advantages of eReading?
Environment-friendly
The major advantage that eReading brings is sustainability.
Thousands of trees must be cut down to create print-based books, increasing our carbon footprint. With poor recycling plans, traditional books only harm the environment more.
This can be completely eradicated with eReading, as eBooks don’t require much energy to produce. Nowadays, eBook creators are using renewable, clean energy to produce books which not only decreases our carbon footprint but is also sustainable in the long term.
Flexibility
eReading doesn’t complicate things. You just need an electronic device, and you can start reading in the comfort of your home or when traveling.
If you’re one of those readers who love to read multiple books at regular intervals, how many printed books will you be shuffling and carrying around? In the case of eReading, you can store numerous books on one device and carry them wherever and whenever you need them.
Since eReaders are capable of storing hundreds of books at the same time, students can easily make great use of them and educate themselves without the need for hundreds of physical copies.
Availability
eReading leverages the power of the internet. Anything you need will be available in your hands within seconds. This will save you from long trips to the library.
No renting or paperwork is needed; you only need to purchase or download the eBook and start reading using your electronic devices. Paper books might often go out of stock, and the chances of finding the same book again will be slim.
All of these hassles can be avoided with eReading; eBooks will never run out of stock and will always be available and easily accessible using your device.
Capacity and Storage
Let’s imagine exams are around the corner, and you must refer to books from multiple authors to prepare for the test. What will you do? Will you be running to various libraries and purchasing all the books?
Definitely not, right?
By the time you find all the books, your exams will be done with. This is where eReading can be of great help. A small search on the internet will get you access to multiple books; you don’t need to worry about capacity and storage.
You can download thousands of books in a flash, refer to them, take notes, and complete your exam. All of this can be done while sitting at home. It saves you from additional baggage whenever you’re traveling; you can store them on your device and read them whenever you need.
Interactivity
When was the last you interacted with your book? It is not possible with traditional books, but in the case of eBooks, there is a whole lot of possibility for interaction.
eBooks have now evolved into interactive eBooks. Instead of complete text-based books, they have visual elements like images, videos, and quizzes for users to interact with.
Do you remember the saying, ‘a picture speaks a thousand words’? So, instead of long texts, eBooks can use pictures to convey the message better.
Multiple tools in the market let you build interactive eBooks to transfer your knowledge to someone. Interactive eBooks increase focus and help understand concepts better; this is why they are used in almost every education system worldwide.
Sharing
One of the major disadvantages of traditional books was the sharing part. We didn’t want our books to go to others because we feared they might get lost or damaged.
But that is not the case with eReading. You can download eBooks off the internet and share them with your friends in a snap or even mutually read them together at the same time using your electronic device.
Some students might need help to afford books. In those cases, teachers can download an eBook and share it with the entire class to ensure that all students get an equal education. Ease of sharing is thus one of the major advantages of eReading.
Accessibility
Certain students find it harder to read a book but can understand the concepts through speech. In these cases, a traditional book might not help; teachers can only sometimes read them aloud.
eReaders now have a text-to-speech feature that can give a voice to eBooks. All the content can now be read aloud, and students can easily comprehend the concept.
Not just students – imagine you’re driving a car; you cannot read and drive simultaneously. In that case, you can activate the read-aloud feature and listen to your book.
Hundreds of text-to-speech apps can vocalize your eBooks, use them, and get the best reading experience.
FAQs about Digital Reading
Q: Is digital reading harmful to the eyes?
A: When practiced responsibly, digital reading does not inherently harm the eyes. Using devices with adjustable brightness and taking regular breaks can reduce eye strain.
Q: Are all books available in digital formats?
A: While a vast majority of books are available digitally, some older or niche titles may not be accessible in eReader-friendly formats.
Q: Can I share my digital books with others?
A: Depending on the platform and copyright restrictions, some eBooks may allow limited sharing with others.
Q: Are eReaders expensive?
A: eReaders come in a range of prices to suit different budgets. Additionally, many smartphones and tablets can function as eReaders, making it more accessible.
Q: Can I read eBooks without an internet connection?
A: Once downloaded to your device, most eBooks can be read without an internet connection, making them ideal for travel.
Q: Is digital reading suitable for academic purposes?
A: Yes, digital reading platforms often offer features such as note-taking and bookmarking, making them useful for academic studies.
Conclusion
There are multiple benefits to reading printed books, but in this digital age, they have become a liability due to their sustainability and availability factors.
This is why eBooks have emerged as the perfect alternative to print-based books. eReading is the new norm, and it saves you expenses and energy.
In this article, we explored the top 7 advantages of eReading and why eBooks are revolutionary. They help minimize our carbon footprint, and you can easily access them using eReaders and add interactivity to them using tools like KITABOO.
Interactive eBooks are the advanced versions of eBooks. They increase focus and help people understand concepts easily. Some people love to listen rather than to read; in that case, the text-to-speech feature of eReaders can come to the rescue and deliver the best book-reading experience.
To know more, write to us at KITABOO@hurix.com
Discover How An Ebook Conversion, Publishing & Distribution Platform Can Help You
Kitaboo is a cloud-based content platform to create-publish & securely distribute interactive mobile-ready ebooks.
You May Also Like
