Lately I have been reading a lot more on my kindle. Mainly this is due to where I have been getting books.
The local library doesn’t have the best selection of books. I could get a card to a different library with a much nicer selection but those libraries are 2+ hours from my house. I don’t want to have to drive 2+ hours to check out a book and about a week or two later drive the same 2+ hours to return the book.
There is interlibrary loan. I could request and receive any book in the whole state of Montana… if I wanted to pay a couple of dollars per book. Yep, the libraries are so far apart that there is a fee to use interlibrary loan.
Instead I have been using the Montana digital library to check out ebooks. They have audiobooks too but I choose not to check those out. This digital library, unlike interlibrary loan, is free.
Despite ebooks being the most often read book type thanks to the digital library and NetGalley, I prefer to read physical books. I love the smell of book (don’t you dare tell me there isn’t one). I also love being about to actually see all of the books on my bookshelf at once rather than scrolling through a list of titles.
Typically, I prefer paperback books. They are smaller and easier to fit in my purse. They are also cheaper than hardcovers. I will end up with hardcovers mainly because they are released first in hardcover or they are used.
I also prefer paperbacks because with hardcovers I need a place to safely store the dust jacket when I’m reading. I do not like to read with the dust jackets on. And I don’t want the dust jacket to get creased or ripped or bent or anything.
I guess I just love my paperbacks more, even when they do have broken spines. That just means that I love them lots and reread them all the time.
So now it’s your turn. Which book format do you prefer?
Hi Amanda!
I’ve never heard of a public library that charges for inter-library loans. That’s insane. It is nice, though, that libraries have started e-book collections.
I have an e-reader, but I don’t use it very much. I prefer reading paperback books, but I find that they hurt my hands more than hardback books. (Have you ever had that happen – you read so much in one day that your hands hurt from keeping your book open?)
And books do have a smell, and I love it, too! 🙂
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It is crazy to charge for interlibrary loans but I can understand it out here. I live in rural, central Montana. It costs a lot in gas money to drive from city to city and the post office isn’t exactly cheap either.
I have had my hard hurt from reading too much. When that happens I will sometimes switch to the kindle. Sometimes I love the book so much that it doesn’t bother me. 🙂
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I used to definitely prefer “real” books (though I didn’t have a big preference of paperback or hardcover), but I’ve gotten a lot more used to reading ebooks now and I find that sometimes convenience wins out.
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I totally agree that convenience sometimes wins out. It is much easier to carry a kindle around than a bag full of books.
Amanda Marie recently posted…Let’s Discuss! Book Formats
I definitely prefer physical books, but eBooks are nice because you can carry a ton of books EVERYWHERE. It’s also nice for those huge books like the Diana Gabaldon or George R.R. Martin books. Makes them much easier to read on so many levels.
Books definitely have a smell. Combined with a the smell of freshly brewed coffee, it is near heavenly!
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I can’t imagine traveling now without my kindle. Before I had it I would carry at least a backpack of books with me every time we left town.
I prefer to drink tea but I do love the smell of coffee. It always makes me want to open up a new book.
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I definitely prefer paperbacks…but I don’t discount the usefulness of ebooks for a second. THEY ARE GOOD! And helpful! I love that if I go away I can take my kindle and never ever worry about running out of books. While if I take physical books away with me I might run out/get them ruined. So yes. There’s that too. x)
My library charges me for inter-library loans unless it’s a kids book. The trouble is they often shelve YA as adult and I have to pay. Waaaah! I’m a poor bookworm! Libraries should be free!
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Ebooks are so very handy at times (especially traveling).
I totally agree that libraries should be free! The evils that are student loans and all these adult bills are cutting into my already minuscule book budget. 🙁
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