by Bethany McKay, Freelance Writer
More than a decade ago, the first Kindle launched for sale. It was heralded as a game-changer; the ability to store and carry hundreds of books at once seemed to be a miracle or a dash of magic.
The publishing industry scrambled, waiting for sales of physical books to plummet (and they did). Many worried that physical books would go extinct like the case of the dodo bird and the compact disc for music. There were arguments on all sides: some saying the new technology is a great advancement for an archaic market, while others mourning the death of print and crusading against this new tech beast.
However, recent studies and reports have shown a decline in digital works.
The Association of American Publishers reported in 2017 that during the first 9+ months of 2016, e-book sales in the United States declined by a dramatic 18.7%, compared to the same period in 2015. In the United Kingdom, the Publishers Association reported nearly identical results—a 17% drop in e-book sales over the same period. A CNN report found that sales of e-readers declined by more than 40% between 2011 and 2016, according to consumer research group Euromonitor International.
Why are physical books popular again? Glenn Leibowitz wrote a few ideas for Inc. Magazine. He said he thinks physical books are easier to share, make more meaningful gifts and offer a wider variety of fonts. He said print books smell good with a crisp and delicate scent, can be written in and marked up, and can last longer because updated hardware or software is not required. Most important to Leibowitz is print books sets an example for his kids, as the family assumes he is surfing the Internet instead of reading (though he sometimes is doing both).
According to a Guardian article, physical books have become a thing of beauty. At the beginning of the millennium, print books were being produced cheaply, and the enticement of e-readers and new technology took hold. Since that time, publishers have taken an eye to the majesty of the physical book, paying attention to the cover, the paper quality, the composition of the whole piece.
Cathryn Summerhayes, a literary agent at Curtis Brown, told The Guardian she thinks that “people have books in their house as pieces of art.”
Some books are just plain difficult to read in the electronic format. Despite trying, children’s books just don’t have the same effect on an e-reader compared to the physical copy. Young adult titles still see significant print copies sold, which is a demographic who usually embraces technology wholeheartedly. But the lure of social media apps can draw the child away from reading if they use an e-reader or smart phone.
Things aren’t all bad for e-books. Libraries are still heavily investing in e-books and digital media, because the demand from patrons is there and the ease of borrowing from home still entices citizens.
Also, the statistics from earlier should be taken with caution, as they exclude self-published books, a sizable market for e-books where new genres drive the market. Because Amazon facilitates most of these self-publishing sales, there is a potential increase in digital sales.
According to Simon Rowberry from The Bookseller, “reports of the e-book’s death are exaggerated.” He said the death of e-books can have only temporary success in the sale of physical books, so “publishers should see e-books as complementary to print rather than as competition.”