By Nikki Groom

eBooks have taken off in today’s society and left hard copy books in the dust. But can an eBook give you the same experience as an actual in-hand book? I’ll answer that question for you: no. One of the joys of reading an actual book is the smell of it. Sure, you can smell a computer or Kindle, but it won’t give you the satisfaction of that new/old book smell.

The weight of a book gives you a sense of importance. If you read an article online, you’re less likely to pay close attention to it compared to reading an actual book. Holding a book in your hands gives you a sense of gravitas.

eBooks are also hard on the eyes compared to actual books. You can focus longer on reading a hard copy book versus an eBook. It’s also easier to do research with hard copy books, due the simple fact that you can look at more than one book at a time. Having the ability to flip through the pages and relate it to another book immediately instead of web searching through different articles is a lot easier.

It’s much harder to get a deep read when reading electronic books. It’s also hard to connect emotionally to it. Most people read for that reason alone. When people have a hard time connecting to people emotionally, they tend to enjoy a good book. But with an eBook, you can’t run your fingers along the pages, you can’t smell the sweet aroma of printed pages, and you can’t wrap yourself up in a fuzzy blanket and a cup of cocoa and snuggle up to a warm book that moves you to creativity.

Put down the Kindle and go get a book. You have no excuse; libraries are free.