Shifting from Codex Book forms to Electronic Book (Ebook) Forms
This guide provides resources for those interested in performing research regarding the societal transition from the physical codex form of the book to the digital ebook.
Academic Settings
"Schools Shift from Textbooks to Tablets": This article from CBS News discusses the academic implications of a society obsessed with technology.
"Shelve Paperbacks in Favor of Ebooks in Schools?": Could ebooks help improve reading skills for children who don't enjoy reading? Marc Ashdown of BBC discusses the positive side effects of tech-based classrooms.
"The eBook Hook": Bettle Parsons Barger and Mary Notwell discuss using technology to further an interest in reading and science in their article, The eBook Hook, published by the National Science Teachers Association.
Accessibility
"Ebook Legal Restrictions are Screwing Over Blind People": While ebooks are praised for their "go everywhere" accessibility, this perk does not apply to the blind, as discussed by Wired contributor Kyle Wiens.
"Technology Brings New Era for Readers with Disabilities": In an era dominated by content, how can we mitigate disabilities related to reading? According to Richard Orne, ebooks can help.
"What's the Best Way to Listen to Ebooks?": This Ask Jack from The Guardian discusses the best ways for the visually impaired to take part in the ebook trend.
Cost Effectiveness of Ebooks
"EBook Price Increase May Stir Readers' Passions": On average, readers are willing to pay up to $14.99 for a physical book, but only $9.99 for an ebook. Technology writers from the New York Times discuss.
"Paperback Fighter: Sales of Physical Books Now Outperform Digital Titles": The Guardian's Publishing Team dissects Amazon's publishing protocol and how its now cheaper to buy a physical book.
The Abomination of Ebooks: They Price People Out of Reading: Ebooks, once hailed for their lower prices, are excluding customers like never before with sky-high prices, according to Wired contributor Art Brodsky.
Effect on the Publishing Industry
"Ebooks Destroying Traditional Publishing? The Story's Not That Simple": NPR writer Zoe Chace rejects the idea that the ebook industry is harming the publishing industry.
"No, Ebook Sales are not Falling, Despite What Publishers Say": This article from Fortune discusses the boom of the ebook industry- and why publishers try to deny it.
"Steal this Book for $9.99": New York Times writer Motoko Rich discusses the fiscal damage the ebook trend has caused to the publishing industry.
Societal Preferences
"How do Ebooks Change the Reading Experience?": New York Times contributors Mohsin Hamid and Anna Holmes discuss their own personal preferences between physical codex books and ebooks.
"The Office": Bookstore Scene: While strictly a comedic source, and not an academic one, this clip from NBC's The Office shows how many Americans react to new ebook technology.
"92% of College Students Prefer Print Books to Ebooks, Study Finds": College students are hailed as tech experts and ridiculed for their reliance on technology, but it seems the tech-obsessed academics actually prefer physical books, according to the New York Times.
Studies on Comprehension
"E-Readers Don't Cut Down on Reading Comprehension": This article from the Smithsonian Magazine dissects one of the biggest issues with e-readers: comprehension.
"New Study Suggests Ebooks Could Negatively Affect How We Comprehend What We Read": Memet Walker of USA Today discusses our attention and comprehension while reading ebooks.
"Readers Absorb Less on Kindles than on Paper, Study Finds": It turns out that ereaders might be more lightweight than you think- The Guardian explains that we're less likely to remember things we read on a tablet.
Technological Advancements
"A Next Generation Digital Book": Mike Matas, a software developer interested in user interfaces, discusses the advancements made in ebook technology over the past five years.
"Ebook Timeline": This timeline from The Guardian shows the progression of the ebook phenomenon.
"From Papyrus to iPad: The Evolution of Reading": Nicholas Carr, a writer interested in technology's impact on culture, discusses the evolution from codex to ebook.