When It Comes To Reading, People Still Prefer Printed Books To Digital

There was a time when it seemed digital media was taking over and printed books were on the path to extinction. As it turns out, avid readers still prefer reading an actual book to reading on a tablet or some other sort of device.

A recent Pew Research Center survey found 65 percent of adults read a physical, printed book in the past year, 28 percent read an e-book and 14 percent listened to an audiobook. Furthermore, just 6 percent of readers are “exclusively digital” readers compared to 38 percent who read exclusively in print. Twenty-eight percent of respondent said they read in both digital and printed formats.

This proves that the reign of the physical book is far from over. People have changed the way they take in information, but there’s still something irreplaceable about holding a book in your hands. There’s a sense of accomplishment that comes from turning a page that’s unlike any other.

But, there’s also a time and a place for it.

“[People] want books to be available wherever they are,” Lee Rainie, the director of internet, science and technology research for Pew Research told The New York Times. “They’ll read an ebook on a crowded bus, curl up with a printed book when they feel like that, and go to bed with a tablet.”

Reading from your phone or iPad is nice while you’re on the go. But, I think we can all agree, there’s nothing quite like snuggling up with a good book after a long day.

[h/t: Mental Floss]