SQPN discussion

I know Shakespeare would be appalled at my butchering of his classic line, but I think it gets the point of the post across pretty well.

Every time I go to buy a book, I debate whether the particular book is worthy of being purchased on paper or whether eBook is okay for it. I think certain classics deserve the honor of paper, while other books are okay getting on eBook. If I expect to loan out a book, paper seems like the current "must use" format as well.

What are your standards for purchasing an eBook versus an physical book (assuming you use an ereader, of course)?

One of the things I consider is whether the book is meant to be a reference, or a book with self-contained sections or chapters in it.

I think, the Bible is better as a physical book, because of the need to reference specific books, chapters, or verses. One could say that there are e-book versions of the Bible with helpful hyperlinks. Point taken, but I think it's still easier to navigate through a physical Bible.

Another would be the Summa Theologia, for the same reasons, although in this case, given how expensive physical copies of the set are, it might be more economical to get an ebook version.

Another example would be a copy of Shakespeare with footnotes and textual notes. It's easier to navigate a physical copy.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for ebooks. It's amazing that one can carry around an entire library in one device. I used to cram a bag full of books whenever I traveled. Now, I don't need to do that.

Fr. Jim

I've been buying a lot of ebooks lately, but I still purchase many Catholic books in hard copy because I'm trying to build my personal library. I also feel that it's important to support our Catholic authors and publishers, and purchasing a book from the author directly is the best way of supporting their work. For books I'll read once, I usually buy them on my kindle.

I still have a hard time actually buying a book - unless it's one I've already read (from the library, for example). I got a Kindle for Christmas, and I've been loading it mostly with (free) books I love, or (free) books that appeal - whose copyright has expired.

I have hundreds of real books, most of which I bought during my years at the university, but I notice that after 10-20 years, the glue of the back dries out and a lot of the cheaper books start to fall apart. eBooks stay fresh, but of course one can wonder if we can still read them after 10-20 years.. will the formats stay the same?

I prefer eBooks to paperbacks - easier to hold and read, and about the same price. For Bibles and dictionaries, as well as for coffee table books, I prefer dead trees.

I am new to e-books, but in addition to using the "read once" criterion, I find myself wanting to have certain books in both paper and electronic formats.

I have a Kindle and I would rather read on the Kindle than actually have the book in my hand. As Roderick says books deteriorate and they take up lots of room, and if travelling they are cumbersome. And Ebook can be reread, anyway the ones on Kindle. And even if you have an Ipad...you can still use the Kindle app and read them that way.

I am fairly new to eBooks, but I must admit my iPad has made me more of a reader than I ever was in a physical book form. I use the Kindle app on my iPad so if I ever do get a Kindle which I intend to do at some point, I can read them on it as well. That being said, I have a lot of former trees sitting around the house that have been read, are being read, or yet to read. But I haven't bought a physical book since I started to read eBooks on the iPad.

For me it depends on where I plan to read the book. If I'm sitting on a dock by a lake or hiking in the mountains, I would prefer the paperback. If I'm on a plane or sitting in a coffee shop, I would prefer the ebook.

On a side note, I enjoy visiting friends and seeing what books are on their shelves. It gives me insights about them and makes for better conversations. It would be hard to snoop into their Kindle or iPad without being rude! :-)

I love the point you make, Steve. Ditto all that. :)

Steve wrote: "It would be hard to snoop into their Kindle or iPad without being rude! :-)"

I just had a vision of Steve sending his friend out of the room to get him a drink while he inspects their Kindle all sleuthlike. LOL

I am beginning to prefer my eBook, especially when I am traveling.

I do have to admit that the one thing that irks me is the prices that are being placed on many eBooks these days. With the new agency pricing model, eBooks cost more then many paperbacks. From a business standpoint, I know that it is cheaper to create an eBook than a paperback, so I feel like I'm being taken advantage of as a consumer sometimes. I'm all for ensuring that an author gets appropriately compensated for their work, but it seems wrong to charge $10 for an eBook and $7 for a paperback.

I agree with the preference for reference works, paper is more user friendly... it shows more respect for the spirit of some types of content. For some reason a digital bible doesn't echo the history of reverence for this holy book. Books that i rate very high i also want to have on paper so i can be proud of them and admire them, be their custodian and share them. Even so I'll keep a good eye on the latest amazon ebook lending system... Merging analog and digital is the way of the future.

Carlos, as a first time author, I'm still waiting to see how the fact that my book is now in Kindle version will affect my royalties. Paper sales continue to outpace Kindle downloads...for now. I'm still looking for a good breakdown from a reliable source on the real "deal" for authors with Kindle. As a consumer and a reader, I feel your pain...

I also buy ebooks on my kindle and iPod (ibooks). It's the easiest way to carry and read them for me, especially since I have dust allergies that act-up whenever I pick up an old classic on my bookshelf.