Benefits of eBooks
Computers and the internet have brought changes in many industries including education. In the past, people were interested in reading conventional books but the internet and technology have changed people’s mindsets making them more interested in reading eBooks. The popularity and usage of eBooks are gradually increasing as compared to conventional books. Ideally, ebooks have both positive and negative effects. With eBooks, one can carry a whole library with them. eBooks are accessible, a boon for adults and the visually impaired, and are beneficial for the environment since they cut down on the cost of carbon emission and paper production. Although eBooks may seem like another reason for sleep problems in comparison to paper text, eBooks are more beneficial over paper text as it helps elderly and visually impaired people, is cost-effective, environmentally friendly, portability.
eBooks have been boon for the elderly and the disabled. Currently, eReaders are being designed with features that allow the user to adjust the brightness of their screen, and font size depending on their preferences of time of the day. For instance, many eReaders even allow reading the dark feature with an amount of light that will not strain user’s eyes and neither disturb others. The user can change the font size of their texts either by decreasing or increasing the size of the font (Kraft, 14) Therefore, the font size and brightness features have been essential for people with weak eyesight and elderly.
Additionally, eBooks have been designed to include features such as read aloud and text to speech which have offered the users the opportunity to either listen or read. These features have been helpful to individuals with visual impairment since the user can easily understand the word according to how it is pronounced. These features have helped the visually impaired and the elderly people since they can easily change the font sizes in case of weak eyesight or turn the eBooks to audio versions.
eBooks are cost-effective as they generate large and cost-efficient packages. eBooks are less costly since they do not require papers for printing as compared to hard copies. This means that they use fewer resources since they are existing in a virtual world as compared to conventional books. Relatively, users can rely on different devices to access the content. eBooks have also allowed the sharing of content among multiple users as compared to printed books that cannot be shared with multiple people at once (Kraft, 14). The fact that eBooks do not require cutting of trees, the soft copy system has made it easy to purchase. For instance, in the library, eBooks have reduced the cost of maintenance associated with security concerns, damage, loss, and personnel requirements.
eBooks are environmentally friendly since they protect the environment. Ideally, eBooks save on energy that would have been consumed through book production, eliminate the cutting of trees, reduce the use of papers and packing materials and reduce the energy linked with the delivery, package, dispose and recycle of books. For instance, eBooks may lower the usage of diesel that is linked with the distribution and production of physical books. eBooks are friendly to the environment since they promote the reduction of emissions such as carbon emissions during production and recycling. EBooks are eco-friendly than conventional books since their carbon footprints are lesser. Therefore, they do not cause harm to the environment as compared to the printed content.
EBooks are portable and lightweight which makes it easier for one to carry around. Ideally, the user can carry a whole library within an eReader rather than carrying bulky books. Thousands of eBooks can be stored on tablets while one is traveling as compared to conventional books that demand transportation. Storage of eBooks has been easy since there is the secondary storage space which is a better option for the users.
eBooks offer access to information with the click of a button and offer portability. The users can instantly get into any page depending on their choice. With the current technology it is possible to access and read eBooks everywhere. For instance, employees and learners can download and store eBooks for later use. The reader can carry the eBook with them and read whenever they go or while traveling (Kraft, 14). Some eReaders have come with additional features such as offline accessibility which has allowed users to rely on the materials even in the absence of the internet.
Conclusion
In summation, the ownership and access of electronic devices such as tablets and smartphones as well as the internet has been widespread across different social backgrounds. As a result, the popularity of eBooks books has increased with most users focusing on the digital format rather than conventional books. Although eBooks may seem like another reason for sleep problems as compared to printed books, they are more beneficial since they are boon for the visually impaired and elderly, portable, accessible, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. Technology has made it easy to access, carry, download, and purchase eBooks which have made eBooks more efficient compared to conventional books.