Paper books are better than e-books: Healthy debate between accessibility of books

NO

Easy to read

E-books can be read anywhere, anytime on one’s smartphone. As long as one does not over-indulge and suffer from the adverse effects of prolonged screen time, e-books are great.

Meghma Nag
Class IX, Adamas World School, Calcutta

Eco-friendly

With e-books you can carry a whole library in your pocket and adjust the font size to make reading easier on your eyes. They also contribute to reducing deforestation, one very important flip side to paper books. Additionally, e-books can translate any text into the desired language in no time at all.

Tannistha Ghosh
Fourth year, IIEST, Shibpur

YES

Always available

E-books require electronic devices and Internet connectivity which may not be available to everyone. Paper books do not cause unnecessary eye strain whereas e-books require readers to stare at the screen for a long time, causing eye irritations and dryness.

Ishani Dutta
Second year, Victoria Institution College,Calcutta

Lend and borrow

Unlike e-books, paper books don’t cause eye strain, work without batteries or the Internet, help better comprehension and retention. Most important, paper books are truly owned — we can share, resell and pass them on, giving them longevity and value that e-books lack.

Amitendu Kundu
First year, Vidyasagar College, Calcutta

Tactile allure

Printed books hold an unparalleled allure, offering a tactile and sensory richness absent in e-books. The rustle of pages, the earthy scent of paper and the absence of a digital glare create a more immersive reading atmosphere.

Umair Ahmed
Class VII, St.Thomas’s Day School, Calcutta

Emotional connect

The emotive resonance of a paper book, embodying a connection to literary heritage, stands as a testament to the enduring supremacy of the traditional over its ephemeral electronic counterpart. The allure of paper books persists as an irreplaceable aesthetic and tactile experience. The palpable sensation of turning each page, the faint rustle of paper beneath one’s fingertips and the distinct scent of printing ink evoke a sense of nostalgia.

Siddharth Das
Class X, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Salt Lake, Calcutta