The future of reading. Every reader’s favorite topic and worst nightmare. Yes? I’m sick of hearing the technophiles and the technophobes squaring off and getting nowhere. In the meantime, things are happening. Reading habits are changing and the publishing industry is wailing about the loss of ad revenue and how no one reads newspapers anymore while the tech industry flashes their gadgets and coos, we’ll save you. But the tech industry is not going to save the publishing industry, they’ll just help the ship sink faster.
Now before someone goes and gets her undies in a bunch, let me just remind everyone that I am a heavy reader who loves her books. But, I also own a Kindle and I like it in spite of its imperfections. I am also curious about the unfortunately named iPad and would love to try one out. If you haven’t seen Emily’s post on her thoughts about the device, be sure to check it out. She’s in the publishing business and knows which way the wind is blowing.
But it is not just books, it is also newspapers and magazines. I don’t know about you but I haven’t subscribed to a newspaper in over 15 years. Why would I want the papers piling up every week when I only read certain sections and can get that news online? As for magazines, well part of it is I don’t have time the other part is that I can’t stand having the issues piling up in the corner because there are several articles I want to keep and I can’t decide whether to cut the articles out and file them somewhere or just save the whole magazine. I tried the TLS on my Kindle for a month. Sadly, it is only a few cents cheaper than the actual magazine. I canceled the subscription because there was no hyperlinked table of contents; I had to click next page for what seemed like a gazillion times to get to the article I wanted to read first. It was nothing but a badly formated digital copy of the print version.
Fortune Magazine has an article on the future of reading which I think is among the better ones out there. It doesn’t toll the death knell for books or reading, it doesn’t evangelize for the gadgets, it looks at what is happening in the publishing and tech industry.
People want digital content. The problem for publishing is that they are the Titanic, huge and ungainly and damp. In spite of the water swirling around their ankles they refuse to make any radical changes. Instead they are trying to tow the foundering ship as is into the digital age. What they need to do is abandon ship and try something different; chip off a piece of the iceberg and go with the floe (sorry couldn’t resist).
Seriously though, as the article points out, the publishing industry has to come up with a new business model or they will be sunk. It won’t be the end of publishing, but the current big captains will find themselves without a ship and the independents and new start-ups will be skipping over the waves in their lighter, adaptable, more nimble boats. They won’t be looking for gadgets to save them. The gadget makers will be looking to them for ideas on how to improve the digital reading experience. And we readers will have so many choices, so many avenues down which we may go to get our reading fix, that we won’t quite know what to do with ourselves.
I’m tired of the subject, too, although still grateful to read people writing about it sensibly. I love the idea of having more and more options as a reader, and I just hope there remain good ways to screen all that reading material so I can figure out what’s good and what’s not. Otherwise, it’s just too overwhelming.
I have a e-book reader and I really like it, especially for long trips. I don’t have to take several hard copy books with me, I can just take my e-reader. Makes the luggage lighter!
I don’t think we have too much to worry about in the future of books. Give it just a few more years for people to work out some of the “kinks” in the digital readers and for people to recover financially. The popularity of books (and magazines) will never fade.
I’m definitely of two minds about this. On the one hand, I read digital content every day and love it. On the other hand, I adore my books and would feel the loss of books, newspapers, and the like, with a keen sadness. I don’t think books will ever go away, but I love magazines as well (mostly just for the pictures, and the feel of them). I don’t know. Hopefully there’s room for everything.
Hey there,
I just discovered your blog and I really like it!
As to your post, well I actually don’t own a Kindle and I once tried to read E-books, but I didn’t like it. I prefer real books, I want to be able to touch and feel the paper because I like the touch and smell of books:)
I also have a book blog, so feel free to check it out!
I take advantage of all the benefits that technology has to offer but when it comes to books, I don’t think any digital device can really take place of a real book; the smell of it, the turning of the pages and giving it to your friends to enjoy after you’re finished… There is nothing that today’s consumer mentality can offer to me that can take the place of books.
I’m with Judy Dudley here, I think once the excitement is over and the “new” becomes “ordinary”, they will loose their charm whereas books never will.
Yes, this is a subject that has been discussed ad naseam, but I don’t think it’s ever going to go away, so it’s best to know what’s going on and try to take advantage of what digital has to offer. I do think paper and digital can coexist, but they just need to each find their niche (well digital more than books) and get the kinks worked out. Although I don’t have any desire to get a Kindle, I wouldn’t say not if someone gave me an iPad!
It was nothing but a badly formated digital copy of the print version.
90% of the problem in a nice, short phrase.
So easy to fix– you could even make the “fix” a feature on its own, giving people the option of a hyperlinked version of the live-print publication, or a table of contents that would go straight to the linked article and only that article….shoot, I’m fairly sure it could be done by a high school grad for minimum wage, come to that.
Even Baen’s free library can manage a hyperlinked chapter menu….
Every time I walk into Barnes & Noble, or go on their website, I’m tempted to buy the Nook. Although I always have a paperback tucked into my purse or case, having a bunch of reading always at the ready is tempting. I don’t know. I’m still debating. I think the real problem with the book industry runs deeper than technology alone. We do not seem to be developing readers as we should. If we were, I believe there would be less hand-wringing in the publishing industry. There are so many bells and do-dads that eat up our leisure time (and this is from someone who loves to read, but also loves to play Legend of Zelda).
Love this article! I feel similarly. I don’t think things are going to change dramatically (i.e., death to physical books) but it’s the merging that is kind of fun to see.
I’m with you on the newspapers too. I can’t understand the need to get the physical one anymore.
I have been hearing this debate for three years and I work in publishing technologies.
Being a passionate book reader I cannot imagine book /magazine/paper going off print totally – but I do foresee a significant reduction in scale of printing properties.
Whats important is that people need to realize that print and digital will coexist and readers should have the option to consume bundled options. And yes reading books on ereader is a blessing for researchers and students as they need to reference and carry so much material but I think for pure pleasure reading ereaders need to much more friendly as it should replicate the joy of holding a book.
Well said Stefanie. The future is here whether we like it or not. And books (in some format) will always be with us and that is all I care about. I have a Kindle and I love it. I can travel and instead of carrying a bag of books, I just carry my Kindle. I read the NY Times everday…on my Kindle! I still love printed books but am learning to move between print and digital so I don’t get left behind!
One can’t deny that books are more than just texts. To me, a well-designed book is an objet d’art. And there are the related cover art, book art, paper art..etc. So eReading may be replacing how the text is transmitted, it cannot replace the aesthetics that’s being held, caressed, touched, and smelt in the hands of the reader. How do we embrace technology and innovations and yet still maintain the appreciation of the aesthetics is essential in the turning of this new page in reading.
Like Arti said, books have been regarded as objects of art before. Maybe not so much now, but you still see it with special editions of some classic books. I’m actually taking a course in the history of books and we were just discussing at lecture today how gentlemen used to bind their books fancily so they could sit on the shelves and be admired by visitors. Personally, I prefer books to be read, but the artistic value will probably start to come back as we move towards electronic books. Not much art value in something like a Kindle.
I like your no-nonsense approach to this hotly debated issue. People tend to resist to change even if it is for better. Digital publishing is still young and is not in its full shine. In few years we will see this huge change and people who like to smell the paper (or lead, actually) will find themselves in minority. Do you know some writers who still use their typewriters?
I agree with you about the notion that the debate doesn’t seem to go anywhere. I suggested to students that what we should do when they enter ninth grade is give them (or require purchase of) a Kindle and load all their textbooks, novels, etc. on it. They can annotate the text (which they can’t do with texts they’re not allowed to write in), keep their textbooks instead of returning them at the end of the school year, and carry all their books on one small device, obviating the need (most likely) for huge backpacks. They loved the idea. I love books, too, but when my Educational Research text was available for $108 in hardcover or $28 on Kindle (I have the Kindle app on iPhone rather than a true Kindle, but I want a Kindle), I didn’t have to think about it much. Kindle “textbooks” in my school would be a huge initial investment, especially if the school buys the Kindles, but over five years, the costs would be much less.
Like Vladimir says, people resist change. One look at all the Facebook groups that crop up every time Facebook makes a change should testify to that. I think people will still buy paper books, but resisting digital books, to paraphrase the Borg, is futile (not to mention unsound business practice).
You are absolutely right: the publishing industry is going about it all wrong. It is, despite being a bastion of liberal, forward-thinking employees, still an extremely conservative business. That’s why, if publishing isn’t careful, they will discover the tech companies are the Titanic’s tug boats that will soon be calling all the shots.
A timely post. We are seeing these changes more and more everyday. Just yesterday, a couple got into the subway after me, and found out that they would be standing for a long time. Unperturbed, both of them whipped out their respective Kindles and were soon lost in their books. It was really cool.
From another perspective, I wonder what is going to happen to brick-and-mortar chain stores. Barnes and Noble appears to be doing alright with their Nook, and with their contracts with University campus distributors. But Borders is really down in the dumps. Can you imagine that someone could just buy all outstanding shares of Borders for less than $100 million dollars?
Thanks for the pointer to Emily’s post, I’ll go check it out now.
I still feel the real problem with the publishing industry is not the platform but the profit margin. I read a fascinating book that pointed to the big conglomerates in the 90s causing a lot of the current trouble. Publishers used to be very happy to get 3-4% profit. They didn’t expect more. But when entertainment companies bought up publishing houses, they expected them to make the same 12-15% they could get from music and films. This has made for all kinds of foolish editorial decisions, and a demand to make money that’s always been unrealistic.
I’d just like to keep my reading choices, not have to compromise on them. And beyond that, I’d like anybody who reads to get what they want, too. And I do love that phrase ‘undies in a bunch’ – always makes me giggle.
Dorothy, it starts to get repetitive after a while, doesn’t it? I think everyone is waiting for something to happen and it’s not happening as quickly as expected. As options increase it will definitely be more challenging sort through everything.
Judy, e-readers are wonderful for trips, aren’t they? You can carry a whole library and not get charged for having extra luggage. I agree with you, in a few years the kinks will be worked out and the economy will be better. Then things might get interesting.
Daphne, no reason we can’t have the best of both worlds!
Andreea, hello, welcome and thanks! I don’t think paper books are going anywhere anytime soon. But I do think publishers need to figure out the new digital realities in order to remain viable.
Lua, digital books won’t be replacing paper books, at least not for a very very long time. But I do think there is a time and place for everything and sometimes a digital book will be a better format than a paper book.
Danielle, I think you are right, digital has to find its niche and get the kinks worked out. I wouldn’t say no to an iPad either if someone wanted to give me one!
Foxfier, that’s one of the frustrating things isn’t it? That the fix is so easy yet the publishers don’t do anything about it because they think just having digital content is good enough. Maybe it will take the free content to lead the way.
Grad, I was at a B&N the other night and tried out their Nool. I didn’t like it. I stood there messing around with it for five minutes before I even got it turned on and to the menu and then I couldn’t figure out the menu! I’ll keep my Kindle. I agree with you that developing readers is very important. I don’t think they are as rare as we are made to believe. But people only have so much time and there are so many alternatives and a capitalist system requires constant growth so publishers are worried because growth isn’t happening at the desired rate.
Rebecca, glad you like the article. it is fun, fascinating and sometime painful to watch the publishing business try to change. They’ll do it eventually, I have no doubt.
Vipula, thank you for your insightful comment from the publishing side of things! I like the idea of bundled options. If students had all their textbooks on e-readers the chiropractors of the world would lose a lot of business
Kathleen, I am so glad to hear you like your Kindle! I love printed books too but I am also with you in agreeing it is the books that I care most about no matter what format they might be in.
Arti, Oh I agree, a well designed book is a thing of beauty. There will always be a place for beautiful books. e-readers are still a relatively new technology and I think as time goes on the reading experience on them will improve. I can see people buying beautiful books to enjoy and love but also digital books sort of like hardcovers and mass market paperbacks. There are some books you want in hard cover and others that are “throw away” so mass market (digital) will be a convenient format.
Leonsagara, you are right, the art value of books might start to make a comeback. But I can imagine they will be rather expensive purchases especially with a standard hardcover at $25 or more these days and those aren’t even necessarily nice bound and designed.
Vladmir, thanks. I like paper books a lot but I am not adverse to digital. The two will coexist for now and probably for a very long time. There are actually a few writers who still prefer the typewriter but they are all older.
Dana, I think that’s a great idea! Digital books will benefit students immensely. That a huge difference in textbook price and a no brainer on which one to buy. Change is hard and a lot of people don’t like it, but it can be shown to be advantageous then I think over time, resistance will lessen.
Emily, it is amazing to me how the publishing industry is so conservative in spite of its rather liberal tendencies. Hopefully they will get it figured out soon!
Polaris, I’ve only seen a very few Kindles on public transit but I have been asked about mine by complete strangers who are fascinated by it. The brick-and-mortar chain stores will probably do fine for awhile yet but I suspect there will be a critical mass reached when they won’t need so many stores. I knew Borders was having problems but I didn’t know it was that bad!
Litlove, oh you make a very good point! I’ve heard that too. It has had a bad effect on newspapers and TV news as well. No compromise required on the reading choices. I love “undies in a bunch” too. I had never heard it until I moved to Minnesota.
I would like to keep all my reading choices. I appreciate the convenience of digital platform, but it costs money to create these digital interfaces, and given the monetary goals of these companies, I don’t think they will ever digitalize the much forgotten classics and works of outmoded authors. In the end printed books will stand.
Matthew-
who said anything about companies needing to spend money? All they have to do is make their format publicly available and people will do it for free.
For that matter, Baen’s free library rocks my socks off. ^.^
Same way that PCs are set up for programs, or how Apple lets folks get a wide range of Apps on their iPhones. It’s really amazing how much work people will do just because they love what they’re working on.
I like your assessment/perspective. Another instance where so many are just standing around in denial while browbeating humans for that annoying habit they have of adapting. There’s no stopping the tide – so the question is will the industry drown under it or build a boat to ride it.
And for all I <3 kindle and e-reading to little tiny pieces – I also hold physical books as sacred.
Tangentially – recently saw the flic Book of Eli – and it left me more than anything wanting to seek out yours and James' house in the event I'm around post-apocalypse – because that's where so many of the books may still be.
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Matt, the forgotten classics and outmoded authors (at least the ones in the public domain) are being diligently digitized by scores of volunteers at Project Gutenberg as Foxfier has pointed out. There are books there that you’d be hard pressed to find at your local public library. Check them out, it is a great and beautiful thing.
Foxfier, thanks! I love Project Gutenberg and when I am done with grad school next year I plan to become one of their worker bees. Baen is also awesome. And you are right, it is amazing how much work people will do just because they have a passion for what they are doing.
Tara, physical books and e-books can live together in perfect harmony. And you of course are always welcome to our house pre and post apocalypse. Bring your books too and we’ll have a book ark