Weekly Lark 1/26/11

The Weekly Lark is a prompt for the imagination: something that’s just for fun. A lark is defined as “a source of or quest for amusement or adventure”. . . so let the adventure begin!

This week’s lark: do you prefer print or electronic copies for recreational reading?

Andrea: If you had asked me this a few months ago I would have said print for sure, but now that I have had my Kindle for several months I am going to have to say electronic copies. I love the instant gratification! It's also nice to be able to carry tons of books in one small, lightweight machine. It certainly makes travel so much easier for me. I do still get print copies from the library, but I no longer buy books unless they are electronic.

Tevya: Can I say both? This is a trick question for me. I will forever love the smell and feel of a book, both new and old. I love the feel of a book in my hands, and the sound of pages turning. I like having that visual of how far into my journey I am and I like using pretty bookmarks that inspire me or make me smile. I like hiding little secrets in my books. Because of all these reasons, I was very resistant to joining the world of eReaders. And then I decided that I had to have a Nook Color for Chanukah this year and my world turned upside down. I am madly in love with my Nook. I love having many of my favorite books at the touch of my fingertips. I like having immediate access to new books without leaving my home. I love that most of my books are less expensive, and that I can share books with my friends. And I have to admit that when things got uncertain in a story, I was very guilty of flipping to the back of the book "just to make sure" of the outcome. I can no longer do that easily, so I've had to learn to enjoy the story and discover the outcome the way the author intended. So there you have it - I can't choose.

Julie: I've never used an e-reader so it's difficult for me to say. But as someone who never thought I'd prefer downloading music over buying a CD, where I could read the liner notes, see the cover art, etc., I think I'd be just fine with getting access to a new book immediately via a Kindle or Nook.

Paula: I will confess that I'm an old-fashioned girl, preferring the texture of the page and the smell of ink. I also like the visual of being able to see how many pages I've read- page numbers don't mean as much to me, but I can visually determine when I am half through a print book. To me, books are more than just the words on the page; they’re friends that I can carry with me, who tell me a story and take me away from the cares of the day. I love on my print books like my kids love on their favorite stuffed animals. And my signed copies- they’re some of my most prized possessions! I do, however, have some jealousy over the immediate availability the reader gets with an e-reader.

So, dear readers. . . what is your preference?