With the advancement of technology in the 21st century, books are no longer presented in traditional physical formats but also in modern formats such as e-books and audiobooks, which can be accessed by anyone and from anywhere. As World Book Day is celebrated today (April 23), New Sarawak Tribune explores the public preferences between the three and their perks.
Best method? To each their own
AS the world celebrates World Book Day on April 23, the many book-related sectors — writers, publishers, booksellers, and libraries – continue to promote reading even more. World Book Day, which is recognised by UNESCO, is a day to commemorate the love of books and reading.
The first World Book Day celebration was held in 1995, and now it is widely celebrated in more than 100 countries.
According to an article by The Herald newspaper, the United Kingdom has set the theme for this year as “Read Your Way”.
The theme calls for children’s choice in reading materials to be championed to ensure reading remains fun.
By “reading your way”, individuals of the 21st century are given opportunities to enjoy reading amidst modern developments.
Books are no longer limited to their physical form, thanks to technological advancements, we now have e-books and audiobook formats. Along with these advancements also came the different preferences of book audiences.
Sharing her experiences, writer Victoria Joanne explains that reading a physical book and an e-book have their own pros and cons.
As a student writer, the 43-year-old often carries her current reads everywhere she goes. “I would usually carry three to four at a time. Sometimes, it is not possible for me to lug all these books around, so this is where e-books come in handy. At most, I would have two physical books and keep other e-books accessible on my phone or my iPad.”
However, Victoria said that she can read far more pages in one sitting with a physical book compared to e-books. “I think it has to do with eye movement. Reading physical books allows for a wider range of eye movement, and I’m not staring directly at the lighting on a screen. I feel like reading e-books limits the eye movement to that tiny lit screen, which can be very taxing on the eyes.”
Despite this, e-books do have their own advantages, she added. With an e-book, it’s easier to annotate a text for future reference. “I also don’t have to worry about potentially ruining the pages. For physical books, I’d have to carry a stack of translucent sticky notes, a pen, and a highlighter so I could annotate without marking directly on the pages.”
Which are the popular options?
According to a survey done by the analysis team at e-commerce platform Picodi.com in 2019, 78 percent of Malaysian females and 74 per cent of Malaysian males splurge on books. Among the numbers, 46 per cent purchase books in physical bookstores, 54 per cent purchase books at online stores, 15 per cent purchase e-books and 5 per cent purchase audiobooks.
The survey shows that while technology is on the rise, many still prefer physical books over everything else. The survey also asks Malaysians the reason why they buy books (in any form) — the majority (48 per cent) said they loved reading.
Meanwhile, the remaining percentage shows that people also buy books as gifts (14 per cent), for studies/work (20 per cent) and as a stress remedy (18 per cent).
Commonly sold at our local bookstores and on online platforms are books published in the United Kingdom and the United States. Each week, new titles hit the shelves, and one would wonder what the percentage of books published by each publishing house is.
According to a report by the Association of American Publishers (AAP), released by the Pew Research Centre, over 1.8 billion print books were sold by US publishers in 2018. The data also shared that 72 per cent of US adults read a book in any format.
The survey also found that 39 per cent of US adults only read printed books, while seven per cent read only digital books.
Meanwhile, 29 per cent of US adults read print and digital books.
Interestingly, the survey also found that one in five Americans now listens to audiobooks. A percentage of 23 per cent of US adults listen to audiobooks, which is up from 16 per cent in 2016.
Meanwhile, according to a statistic released by the United Kingdom’s Publishers Association in 2023, book publishing generated a total of £6.9 billion in the year 2022, of which £2.7 billion in the UK’s home market and £4.1 billion in the export market.
Of the total, £3.8 billion were from physical books, while e-books generated £3.1 billion in revenue. In 2022, consumer publishing (fiction, non-fiction and children’s books) raked in £2.3 billion in sales, while audiobooks totalled for £164 million.
To each their own
While the three mediums — physical books, e-books and audiobooks — aim at sending out the same information or stories from their respective authors, the end user experience of each varies greatly.
Based on a survey conducted by New Sarawak Tribune, here are the findings on the preferred methods of reading.
Physical books (the popular choice):
• Tactile experience: enjoying the feel of a book, turning pages, and the weight of a book in their hands.
• Collection and Ownership: Building a personal library and displaying books at home.
• Avoiding Screen Time: Preferring to reduce screen time and potential eye strain.
E-books because:
• Portability: being able to carry hundreds of books on a single device.
• Search Functionality: Quickly finding specific passages or information.
• Convenience: Easily purchase and download books instantly.
• Space-saving: not needing physical space to store books.
• Environmentally Friendly: Saving paper and reducing carbon footprint.
Audiobooks because:
• Ability to multitask: watching over children, doing chores, or while working.
• Therapeutic narrations: Good narrators often draw readers into the story further.
• Ability to rest the eyes: A good rest after a long day of utilising the eyes.
• Commuters: People listen to audiobooks during their daily commute or while travelling in a car, plane or public transports.
People always need knowledge and stories, so it doesn’t matter which kind of books you choose. One format isn’t “better” than the others; different book formats have their own characteristics and differ from person to person on which one to use.
You can choose the most suitable reading formats based on your lifestyle or preference, depending on which reading format serves a particular situation.
Regardless of how you are reading a book, I hope that it can inspire you to move further and encourage and motivate you to do better things. Happy World Book Day!
Read here for the survey done by New Sarawak Tribune: https://www.newsarawaktribune.com.my/physical-books-e-books-and-audiobooks/
