Survey finds that 62% of 16 to 24-year-olds prefer paper books to e-books

K. Molen · 11-27-2013, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liz Bury of TheGuardian.com

Sixteen to 24-year-olds are known as the super-connected generation, obsessed with snapping selfies or downloading the latest mobile apps, so it comes as a surprise to learn that 62% prefer print books to ebooks.

Asked about preferences for physical products versus digital content, printed books jump out as the media most desired in material form, ahead of movies (48%), newspapers and magazines (47%), CDs (32%), and video games (31%).

"It is surprising because we think of 16-24s as being attached to their smartphones and digital devices, so it does shout out," said Luke Mitchell of agency Voxburner, which researched questions about buying and using content with 1,420 young adults.

The two big reasons for preferring print are value for money and an emotional connection to physical books. On questions of ebook pricing, 28% think that ebooks should be half their current price, while just 8% say that ebook pricing is right.

The top-rated reasons for preferring physical to digital products were: "I like to hold the product" (51%), "I am not restricted to a particular device" (20%), "I can easily share it" (10%), "I like the packaging" (9%), and "I can sell it when used" (6%)...

Full article here: http://www.theguardian.com/books/201...printed-ebooks

K. Molen · 11-27-2013, 08:55 AM

This is very surprising to me, for much of the same reasons as given in the article. I'm in the latter part of my thirties and when I first heard about e-reading a number of years ago I was a little resistant, for the standard reasons of loving the look, feel and smell of books as well as not being a fan of the way e-ink screens blinked when turning a page, but it took only a few pages of e-reading to convert me.

So that such a large percentage of young adults prefer paper to electronic reading is slightly unfathomable to me... I didn't see that coming at all, and I don't really understand how it can be.

Yapyap · 11-27-2013, 09:33 AM

I've noticed that a lot - but it does make sense, to me, as I've also noticed that in general, the people who most prefer paper books to ebooks are often people who have relatively few books (no space issues and not even any realisation yet that space may become an issue - or the lucky few with large houses and space for personal libraries!) and who have no physical issues with either holding books or reading them in whatever font, margins and line spacing they come in.

They also tend to be people who haven't had to move to a new home with more than a couple of boxes of books (or if they have, they haven't been personally responsible for doing it).

Very young people fit right into both of those categories.

Also, and I think this is related to the no lack-of-space issues, when someone is a relatively new reader, who doesn't have a large personal library yet, the idea of owning books, having a shelf or two as physical items to display and admire, is much more important than when you already have shelf upon shelf at home, taking up all the space you'd need for other things...

I'm quite sure this isn't the only reason - or one that many of those young readers would even give - but I interact with rather a lot of 15-20-year-olds in book fandoms on daily basis, and for many of those kids, reading for fun is something they really only discovered a few years ago, and books-as-physical-objects is still a major, new, shiny, wonderful thing for them.

Little.Egret · 11-27-2013, 09:56 AM

"Half of the respondents were sourced through student moneysaving website Studentbeans.com, and half through a broader youth research panel."

Not a random sample then which would likely show half hadn't read a book except set books in the last six months.

The missing questions relate to how many books/ebooks were (a) bought and (b) read
(c) borrowed from library.

Same for music and movies.

crossi · 11-27-2013, 10:49 AM

For non-prolific readers of any age that makes sense. Why spend even $50 for a reader if you only read one or two books a year and never re-read them. Now if they surveyed young readers who typically read a book a week they might have different results.

fjtorres · 11-27-2013, 11:18 AM

Kids that age read a *lot* of books.
But those gaming guides are typically more useful in paper format.

mrscoach · 11-27-2013, 11:38 AM

My 22yo loves to read, but is selective on what he reads and how he spends what little free time he has. He prefers physical books because he spends 12+ hours a day on the computer and needs down time that doesn't involve a screen. That is, WHEN he actually picks up a book, because he only talks to his friends for a short time, eats and goes to bed by the time he gets home at night.

speakingtohe · 11-27-2013, 02:56 PM

I got my first reader because I worked summers in a remote town with very few books available and my Southern library had quite a few ebooks. I might not have bought it for $399 if I had understood that I could read epubs on my laptop with ease. I thought ebook meant PDF at that time and we know how much fun those can be.

Now I love my readers, but I can understand someone, whatever the age, having no desire to switch from paper even to a phone or tablet which they may already have. Young people can be as set in their ways as older people.

Helen

Jessica Lares · 11-27-2013, 03:41 PM

I'm 24, so I fit right in those demographics... Barely.

If I had an eReader when I was 16, it would have made my life easier. It makes my life easier now because it's easier to find quotations, it's easier to take notes within the ebooks themselves, and it's much easier on my hands and eyes.

They don't see it now, but they will in a few years.

I have space for books, but the only thing they do is collect dust, and annoy me because I have to wipe them down every few months.

nutsheart · 11-28-2013, 10:55 AM

When they move with a truck load of books I bet they change their opinion.

theducks · 11-28-2013, 11:14 AM

You still can legally buy USED books in the USA. Those cost even Less again than an e-book and you don't need a expensive special device to read them upon

Manga at original Print size? Oh! Paper wins out over big displays again.

cvergz828 · 11-28-2013, 01:37 PM

I have to agree and I'm not surprised. A lot of my friends prefer to read books the old fashioned way. I don't think everyone is prepared to go high-tech when it comes to reading. Although, I appreciate Kobo, Amazon, and other eReader manufacturers to introduce a new way of reading. When I first bought mine, I was willing to try it. I like to read but I want to find a new way to get me back into the habit. Therefore, I bought a Kobo eReader.

Tarana · 11-28-2013, 01:49 PM

I think a lot depends on your genre preferences and that will also determine some about whether you get an ereader or not. It's really hard to find good sci fi and mystery/thrillers unless you are living in a city and even then, the selection is limited. I was reminded recently that sci fi is actually a small amount of the sales compared to regular fiction. My sister would never have bought an ereader if it wasn't for the difficulty of getting older sci fi (now in ebook form). Space is an issue for her too, of course, but she really does prefer paper.

Waflicka · 11-28-2013, 07:14 PM

This doesn't surprise me at all. I'm well within the demographic at 21 years old, and an English major -- so naturally myself and all of my friends are prolific readers. I prefer readers and one friend prefers audiobooks, but all of my other friends within this age bracket prefer books. Most have boxes of them in their garages for lack of storage space! Frankly, I think that the insinuation by earlier posters that people who prefer paper must not be prolific readers is quite offensive. Just because you prefer a screen, it doesn't mean that everybody else should -- some prolific readers are tactile readers, too. Get over it. The level of arrogance in this thread is a disgusting picture of this forum...

This, coupled with the obvious lack of reading comprehension when people answer basic questions in threads, makes me very, very doubtful of my decision to join. You're folks who can't see the forest for the trees, and half of you seem to think the trees are shrubs, anyway. *shakes head*

Ekaros · 11-28-2013, 08:21 PM

Last book I read was paper. Though it was from my favorite author and I have collected nearly all of his main works... It is available as ebook, but sometimes you have to get the paper.

Otherwise it doesn't really matter to me if it's paper or ebook, ebook is usually faster to get anyway. Though that is only for English stuff...

11-28-2013, 01:37 PM	#12
cvergz828 Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 5596 Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Arc 7	I think that's about right... I have to agree and I'm not surprised. A lot of my friends prefer to read books the old fashioned way. I don't think everyone is prepared to go high-tech when it comes to reading. Although, I appreciate Kobo, Amazon, and other eReader manufacturers to introduce a new way of reading. When I first bought mine, I was willing to try it. I like to read but I want to find a new way to get me back into the habit. Therefore, I bought a Kobo eReader.

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11-27-2013, 08:55 AM	#2
K. Molen Addict Posts: 284 Karma: 4478866 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Toronto, ON Device: Kindle 3, iPad 3, Nexus 10, Nexus 5	This is very surprising to me, for much of the same reasons as given in the article. I'm in the latter part of my thirties and when I first heard about e-reading a number of years ago I was a little resistant, for the standard reasons of loving the look, feel and smell of books as well as not being a fan of the way e-ink screens blinked when turning a page, but it took only a few pages of e-reading to convert me. So that such a large percentage of young adults prefer paper to electronic reading is slightly unfathomable to me... I didn't see that coming at all, and I don't really understand how it can be.

11-27-2013, 09:33 AM	#3
Yapyap Guru Posts: 861 Karma: 3543721 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Estonia Device: Kindle Paperwhite, iPad 3, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge	I've noticed that a lot - but it does make sense, to me, as I've also noticed that in general, the people who most prefer paper books to ebooks are often people who have relatively few books (no space issues and not even any realisation yet that space may become an issue - or the lucky few with large houses and space for personal libraries!) and who have no physical issues with either holding books or reading them in whatever font, margins and line spacing they come in. They also tend to be people who haven't had to move to a new home with more than a couple of boxes of books (or if they have, they haven't been personally responsible for doing it). Very young people fit right into both of those categories. Also, and I think this is related to the no lack-of-space issues, when someone is a relatively new reader, who doesn't have a large personal library yet, the idea of owning books, having a shelf or two as physical items to display and admire, is much more important than when you already have shelf upon shelf at home, taking up all the space you'd need for other things... I'm quite sure this isn't the only reason - or one that many of those young readers would even give - but I interact with rather a lot of 15-20-year-olds in book fandoms on daily basis, and for many of those kids, reading for fun is something they really only discovered a few years ago, and books-as-physical-objects is still a major, new, shiny, wonderful thing for them.

11-27-2013, 09:56 AM	#4
Little.Egret Wizard Posts: 3,168 Karma: 37800000 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, UK Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G, Kindle Fire 2, NOOK ST, Kindle HDX, Fire 7"	"Half of the respondents were sourced through student moneysaving website Studentbeans.com, and half through a broader youth research panel." Not a random sample then which would likely show half hadn't read a book except set books in the last six months. The missing questions relate to how many books/ebooks were (a) bought and (b) read (c) borrowed from library. Same for music and movies.

11-27-2013, 10:49 AM	#5
crossi Guru Posts: 992 Karma: 12000001 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Seattle Wahington U.S. Device: kindle	For non-prolific readers of any age that makes sense. Why spend even $50 for a reader if you only read one or two books a year and never re-read them. Now if they surveyed young readers who typically read a book a week they might have different results.

11-27-2013, 11:18 AM	#6
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Kids that age read a lot of books. But those gaming guides are typically more useful in paper format.

11-27-2013, 11:38 AM	#7
mrscoach Guru Posts: 764 Karma: 4837659 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: San Angelo Texas Device: Samsung Galaxy tab	My 22yo loves to read, but is selective on what he reads and how he spends what little free time he has. He prefers physical books because he spends 12+ hours a day on the computer and needs down time that doesn't involve a screen. That is, WHEN he actually picks up a book, because he only talks to his friends for a short time, eats and goes to bed by the time he gets home at night.

11-27-2013, 02:56 PM	#8
speakingtohe Wizard Posts: 4,812 Karma: 26912940 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: sony PRS-T1 and T3, Kobo Mini and Aura HD, Tablet	I got my first reader because I worked summers in a remote town with very few books available and my Southern library had quite a few ebooks. I might not have bought it for $399 if I had understood that I could read epubs on my laptop with ease. I thought ebook meant PDF at that time and we know how much fun those can be. Now I love my readers, but I can understand someone, whatever the age, having no desire to switch from paper even to a phone or tablet which they may already have. Young people can be as set in their ways as older people. Helen

11-27-2013, 03:41 PM	#9
Jessica Lares Wizard Posts: 2,240 Karma: 5759170 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Near Dallas, Texas, USA Device: iPad Mini, iPod Touch (5th gen)	I'm 24, so I fit right in those demographics... Barely. If I had an eReader when I was 16, it would have made my life easier. It makes my life easier now because it's easier to find quotations, it's easier to take notes within the ebooks themselves, and it's much easier on my hands and eyes. They don't see it now, but they will in a few years. I have space for books, but the only thing they do is collect dust, and annoy me because I have to wipe them down every few months.

11-28-2013, 10:55 AM	#10
nutsheart Member Posts: 19 Karma: 50802 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Finland Device: Tolino Vision 4 HD, Kindle Voyage, Kobo Aura One, Huawei MediaPd M3	When they move with a truck load of books I bet they change their opinion.

11-28-2013, 11:14 AM	#11
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,863 Karma: 54837878 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	You still can legally buy USED books in the USA. Those cost even Less again than an e-book and you don't need a expensive special device to read them upon Manga at original Print size? Oh! Paper wins out over big displays again.

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11-28-2013, 01:49 PM	#13
Tarana Wizard Posts: 3,983 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	I think a lot depends on your genre preferences and that will also determine some about whether you get an ereader or not. It's really hard to find good sci fi and mystery/thrillers unless you are living in a city and even then, the selection is limited. I was reminded recently that sci fi is actually a small amount of the sales compared to regular fiction. My sister would never have bought an ereader if it wasn't for the difficulty of getting older sci fi (now in ebook form). Space is an issue for her too, of course, but she really does prefer paper.

11-28-2013, 07:14 PM	#14
Waflicka Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 5596 Join Date: Nov 2013 Device: Kindle 3	This doesn't surprise me at all. I'm well within the demographic at 21 years old, and an English major -- so naturally myself and all of my friends are prolific readers. I prefer readers and one friend prefers audiobooks, but all of my other friends within this age bracket prefer books. Most have boxes of them in their garages for lack of storage space! Frankly, I think that the insinuation by earlier posters that people who prefer paper must not be prolific readers is quite offensive. Just because you prefer a screen, it doesn't mean that everybody else should -- some prolific readers are tactile readers, too. Get over it. The level of arrogance in this thread is a disgusting picture of this forum... This, coupled with the obvious lack of reading comprehension when people answer basic questions in threads, makes me very, very doubtful of my decision to join. You're folks who can't see the forest for the trees, and half of you seem to think the trees are shrubs, anyway. shakes head

11-28-2013, 08:21 PM	#15
Ekaros Illiterate newbie Posts: 661 Karma: 1702090 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Finland Device: Sony PRS-T1	Last book I read was paper. Though it was from my favorite author and I have collected nearly all of his main works... It is available as ebook, but sometimes you have to get the paper. Otherwise it doesn't really matter to me if it's paper or ebook, ebook is usually faster to get anyway. Though that is only for English stuff...