Do e-books really threaten the future of print?

In 1930, American avant-garde writer Bob Brown predicted that the printed book was bound for obsolescence. In his book The Readies, he says the time has come "to rid the reader of the cumbersome book".

He envisions a "machine that will allow us to keep up with the vast volume of print available today and be optically pleasing," and hence inspired the e-reader. Unfortunately for Brown, 2015 has only just begun and some have already started to call time on the e-book.

According to a recent study, the average e-book reader in India doesn't really contribute to its sales. These readers would rather spend their money on a hard copy of a book they want to read, rather than purchase a digital version, which, according to them, has its own shortcomings. India's capital, Delhi had recently topped the list of the most well-read cities in a survey by an online portal, but according to a leading publishing house, e-books constitute only about 1% of their total book sales currently. We also asked the bookworms why e-books don't cut the mustard.

E-books aren't real books
It is safe to say that there is a 'practicality vs sentimentality' divide that best reflects the e-books-vs-print-books debate. "But you don't read to be practical," says Komal Kareer, a BBE graduate. "I read e-books on my phone all the time, but I don't remember ever having bought one. I download the free ones from Torrent, so where is the need to spend on an e-book? E-books might possibly rule the future, but they don't have an edge over print books. I understand that e-readers are more practical and logical, but I still buy real books - the ones that mean something to me - just the way I would buy the CDs of the bands I really love. Plus, hardcovers look prettier on the bookshelf," she adds.

Lopsided pricing
Kindle head Russ Grandinetti is still hopeful. He recently offered his views on the e-book subscription model, which hasn't yet made it to India, stating that nothing can stop e-book sales from taking off. "In every single digital media category, subscriptions are succeeding at some level and books won't be an exception," he states. But it looks like the rise of e-book sales will be slower in India with or without subscriptions. Yogesh Kumar, a sound engineer, thinks the lopsided pricing is to blame. "You'd buy a digital book if it was cheaper than the hard copy. You purchase things online because they cost less. And when I say 'cheaper', I mean there should be a significant difference in the prices. If the hard copy of the book I want is for `250 and the e-book is for `200, I'd most definitely buy the hard copy. This is normally the case. The only e-books I've bought are sound engineering books that had more than a 1,000 pages. That's only where e-books have been convenient for me," says Yogesh.

Technical issues
Apart from the sentimental value attached to printed books, which makes them the preferred choice, e-books lose out because of technicalities as well. "E-books are convenient for commuting, which is when I do a lot of my reading. But you don't always remember to charge your e-reader or phone, so the battery is another issue. I don't want that happening to a book I paid for right? With a printed book, you open it when you want and close it when you want. It's not the same with e-books. On my e-reader, I read books that are free and I can kill time with while I'm on the move. Another irritant is that my kindle only shows the percentage of how much I've read and not the page number. Plus, you can't put bookmarks and can't make margin notes - the list goes on. I believe in the undying existence of printed books," says Manav Garg, a BTech student. But that is not all that adds up to Manav's disappointment with the e-reader, as they also stop him from hitting on a potential mate. "I'll admit that carrying a huge book with you in the metro sucks, but, if it's a kindle, how are you supposed to flirt? You have no idea if the person is reading a book you really love and will make for a great conversation starter, or just a Dating For Dummies guide?" adds Manav.

e-books are the last resort when hard copy isn't available
For Harleen Singh, an engineering student, e-books are the last resort. "E-books only work for me when the book I want is either very expensive or hard to find in bookstores. Other than that, I've never spent a penny on them. The digital ones don't feel like real books. Also, the front and back covers of the book have something interesting to say. So I'd rather buy the hard copy of a book with the traditional feel to it, than spend almost the same amount on a digital one," says Harleen.

Lower royalty rate
Akshay Bhardwaj, a senior software engineer, has a different reason for not buying an e-book - a moral one. "The authors receive a much lower royalty rate on e-books than on the print ones, despite the huge amount saved on production investment. I do read books on my Kindle, but I only download the free sample. If I find it interesting, I visit the bookstore and buy a hardcover. This is my way of supporting the author. I wish there was a button that donated `100 to our local bookstore each time I bought an e-book, maybe then I'd think about it," he says.

Originally published: 27th April 2015