Publisher’s Weekly reports that while those who read only print books remains at around 40%, 26% percent of those say they will most likely buy an eReader sometime this year.
Certainly print books are not going to disappear, certainly not in our lifetime. I have always found that fear particularly irrational, but I do love the trend toward eBooks. As I’ve said in previous posts, voracious readers can devour books and other content without piling up paper. They can get books without the expense of shipping, not to mention the resources used to print and ship a book. However, if one finds a book that particularly touches them, or they want an author-signed copy, print books are the way to go.
Keep that special author-signed book on your bookshelf. For those that are entertaining and pass the time, save a few trees.
Here’s an excerpt:
To be sure, the number of digital reading devices will grow substantially in 2011, with Codex predicting that 43% of book buyers will own either a dedicated e-reader or a tablet by the end of the year (some will own both). Still, Hildick-Smith noted, there is little indication that consumers are looking to stop buying and reading print books; what could change that scenario, Hildick-Smith said, is if the number of bookstores and other outlets selling books shrinks dramatically.
The attitude among book buyers toward tablets (almost entirely the iPad) and e-readers (primarily Kindle and Nook) also showed little change between November and February, with Kindle and Nook owners showing much higher levels of satisfaction with the reading experience than iPad owners. While 48% of Kindle owners said they prefer to read digital books rather than print books, only 38% of iPad owners preferred digital.
Another preholiday trend that held true in the new year was the dominant position fiction held in the e-book market, accounting for 79% of e-book sales.
I’m one of the 33% that reads both in print and in electronic format, mostly on my Kindle. And, like 48% of Kindle owners, I do prefer reading digital books.
—-{—-{@
What about you? Do you read solely on an eReader? Are you sticking with printed books exclusively? Or do you read both?
Christine Rose 
I’ve moved to about 80%-20% electronic in my reading. I still love the feelof a physical book, but I will never ever be without my Kindle ever again.
As many times as I have moved and had to “pack up the books”, all the backaches resultant thereof, I think I’m good with carrying around my eReader with dozens of books inside and all weighing in at less than a half pound!
Exactly! We’ve moved from one end of the continent to the other a few times, and we’ve lost beloved books in each move just because they were so heavy!