Well, I originally thought I knew the answer to this question but then I started to see the pros and cons of each one. Yes, this comes from a girl who carried around the 5th Harry Potter book in her purse. Not the best of decisions – my poor purse did not last as long as it should have but I guess the designer did not think that it would be turned into a portable library. ( ;
Paper Books:
Pros-
- Easy to identify
- Sharing them is much easier
- Can display them on a bookshelf
- The satisfaction of closing the book once finished
- All you need is a library card or a credit card ( :
- Easier to read in the sun
Cons-
- Heavy to carry
- Can usually only carry one book at a time
- Fonts may be hard to read
- Could be eye straining
- Purchase cost of paper books are pricier
E-Books
Pros-
- Light and easy to carry
- Fonts are adjustable
- Usually more affordable
- Can usually have more than one book with you at all times
Cons-
- Need a device ( Kindle, phone, tablet, etc )
- Battery dies
- Hard to guess what the person is doing (are you reading or are you on social media?)
- Cannot display them
- Eye straining
- Sunlight reflects on the screen-hard to read
I personally (after giving both types a try) still prefer holding a book and being able to turn the pages. I will use both options but if I am able to get a hard copy of the book that is the one I will choose. I love the idea of being able to keep a bunch of books on a small digital device but then I lose the ability to display all the books I have on my bookshelf.
It Starts With A Book 