On a tattered piece of note paper, I found a written question. It was something I asked about e-readers and their sudden surge in popularity at the time. Were e-books going to become the way of the absolute future? How long before this question could even be answered really. They provide a certain level of convenience in an ever digitizing age.

In looking at this note today I have answered my own question. So far I firmly believe that print books remain the preferred option of most if not many. I’ve watched people at airports put down their tablets to then pick up a print book. In these same airports I see people buying something to read for the plane ride at the many kiosks where books are available. Print books still have their place.

This is not going to turn into some sort of rant against e-books. On the contrary. E-books have their place. I’ve enjoyed reading many books via my tablets. Reading a newspaper via a tablet is interesting in itself. It’s certainly cleaner. No chance of getting newsprint on your fingers when reading it on the tablet. You might get greasy fingerprints of your kids if you happen to have any.

When I walk into a bookstore or a room where books are perfectly aligned on a shelf, a blissful sense of calm envelopes me. Those who share this feeling do know where I am coming from. Our brains go into a sense of calm as if we are about to find the answers to some questions in one of the books we see. We get a sense that entertainment and enlightenment exists in one of the published prints before us. Like a record store, I find it difficult to spend only a little bit of time in a book store.

You don’t get that same feeling when you open a tablet and see the available titles in your personal library. You might marvel at the technology. Is it the same though as holding the printed page in your hands?

No.

As the digital revolution continues, there is ample room for print and electronic books. You might prefer one over the other. Whatever works for you. My welcoming embrace is for both mediums. Still for me personally, nothing beats the printed published pages that are waiting to be turned.