Reader Mailbag: How Do You Read? (Physical, Digital, Audiobook)
In the April 2024 newsletter I asked readers how they read, and where they get their books from. Here are the responses:
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Monique: Regarding the question of the month, I mainly “read” audio books. I’m not one who is very good at sitting still so this has been pretty useful. I mainly listen on daily walks as well as doing chores around the house or while cooking. If I’m by myself in the car I’ll listen then too but it’s rare. We have a 35+ min commute from our house to just about anywhere in town so I started reading books in the car while my husband drove a number of years back – not sure why I stopped. I need to start that again and I can cross another book of the TBR list!
Christine: Answer: ALL OF THE ABOVE – ;o)
Physically handling the book is of course the original way I started, and it is still the most popular way for me. But right after that is audio because I can do that while I am walking or puzzling, or cleaning, or as a wonderful bedtime story and most of the time the narrator is fantastic – it’s definitely an art form. I occasionally read ebooks, but most of the time I do the physical book before that only because I can usually get it faster from the library – which brings me to the last part of the question regarding services to acquire book which is either physical library or the online library. Can you tell, I Love to read!
Velda: I always have two books going at the same time. I read ebooks using the Kindle app on my iPad or phone when I am at home or waiting as at the doctor, in long lines at grocery store, etc. When I am driving or walking for exercise, I listen to audiobooks. I get my ebooks and audiobooks using the Libby app at my local library. On the occasion when I can’t wait for a book to become available through Libby, I will check out the physical book from the library. I ensure the books I am reading and listening to are different genres because many years ago I had to read/listen to two books over because the stories were somewhat similar and I got myself confused about who was doing what and where.
Kathy: These days I am bouncing between print books and email. I am an elderly woman looking at assisted living or nursing homes in a few years and I have almost stopped buying print books anymore. I love being able to carry so many books on my little tablet but I miss the experience of reading a physical book. Still have many old favorites on my bookshelves that I will never get rid of and reread often.
Corinne: To answer the question of the month for April, I read in all the ways I mostly listen to audiobooks while at work or driving. I’m to the point where I find it very hard to be in the car and NOT have a book playing. Even to go to the grocery store 5 minutes away! I read most other things on my kindle or kindle app. As a last resort I read a physical book. I get ebooks and audiobooks from the Libby and Hoopla apps with my library card. I sometimes buy kindle books when I find something exceptionally good that I know I will want to reread in the future. I have a library from Audible of about 157 books but am not a current subscriber. A lot of times when you recommend something that sounds good I search for it on audio first, then ebook, then if nothing else hopefully I get it from the library as a physical book. Such is the case with “Shutter” which I had to get a hard copy from the library but am enjoying it greatly. My local library system is small though so they often don’t have books I want to read, nor are they on my various apps. In that case I just wait and hope we get it someday. I’m currently 4th in line at the library for “Fourth Wing” which I will take because in Libby for the audiobook I was 98th in line! Ha!
Kim: 100% Libby on my phone with three library cards attached. Means I’ll ALWAYS have a book in my hand. Waiting in line …. Read a chapter. Waiting for water to boil … read a chapter. Best thing that ever happened! I’m sorry I didn’t have this when my daughter was in school. Waiting for the bus … read a chapter. Waiting for band practice … read a chapter. A lot of reading was missed there.
Jane: I’m loving Book Notification and use it often to look up books for patrons in the library where I work.
To answer this month’s question, I use a combination of physical books and digital. I also listen to audio books on CD in my car (for some reason it won’t Bluetooth through my speakers, darn it!). Since I just got hearing aids, I can now listen to digital audio straight from my phone in stealth mode (the sound Bluetooths directly to my aids and no one else can hear it). As you can imagine this is a lot of fun while I’m at work!
I still do love the feel of a book in my hands. I don’t think digital will ever replace that for me. Digital fills the gaps when I can’t find a book I want to read at my library, or when I need an audio book to listen to at work.
As far as acquiring books, as you would expect, almost all mine come from the library system where I work. We have a fabulous digital system (CloudLibrary) that outclasses the older library systems for digital (virtually no waiting for titles). These I read on my smartphone. Occasionally I buy a Kindle book. And, throughout the year, I treat myself to brand-new books from each of my favorite authors-which I then donate to my library.
Thanks again for your newsletter and Book Notification.
Kim: 100% Libby on my phone with three library cards attached. Means I’ll ALWAYS have a book in my hand. Waiting in line …. Read a chapter. Waiting for water to boil … read a chapter. Best thing that ever happened! I’m sorry I didn’t have this when my daughter was in school. Waiting for the bus … read a chapter. Waiting for band practice … read a chapter. A lot of reading was missed there.
Ann: I read physical books every time. I have tried to read on my tablet but just couldn’t get into the story at all but when I read it in paperback form – no problem becoming engrossed. Here in New Zealand new books can be expensive so I frequent charity book fairs, second hand book shops and charity shops. The only new books I get are gifts from my husband for birthdays and Christmas.
Gail: Recently, I’ve been reading more Kindle books on my phone, but I do still love to hold and read an actual book. I have stacks of wonderful “real” books that I seriously need to work through, but I love the convenience of, like Graeme said, a multitude of books with me all the time. I’m a member of Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited, but I also get books through the public library services Libby and Hoopla.
Tracey: Great question this month! I am firmly a physical book only reader. I will not entertain even the thought of an e-reader. I don’t care if it’s convenient. I don’t care if it’s economical. I don’t care if it’s environmentally friendly ( that’s bad, I know!). I don’t care if it’s lightweight. I don’t care what it is – I’m not doing it! It has taken me over 50 years to build my collection of books. I don’t just love reading, l love the books themselves. I love having them around me. All the knowledge, the stories, the adventures, the characters, the emotions, everything that books provide us. Just picking up and thumbing through an old favorite is like visiting with a treasured friend, stirring up all those great memories. And going to a library or a bookstore and browsing the shelves looking for that next treasure, there’s nothing like it.
Donna: I prefer physical books and use them most of the time. Occasionally, I will read an ebook and check books out from the Libby App through my local library, on my Kindle, or the Kobo app.
I like the feel of a book in my hands, I always have. There are some titles the library doesn’t have so I will look for it as an ebook online and purchase it if I really have to have it.
Debra: All of the ways! I read on my Kindle Fire a lot, I have an old Kindle that has library books and others I’ve downloaded, I have hundreds of physical books and use audio books when I can’t actually read a book, when I’m cooking, cleaning, knitting, etc. Books are huge in my life and there’s always some way to fit them into what I’m doing. I have to go to dialysis three days a week and reading or listening to a book is a big part of getting through the four-and-a-half hours it takes.
Bev: Hoopla. They have 8 free books per month (I think that’s the number). With other free sites, you probably won’t need to get more than their maximum a month.
Openlibrary.org. This is a great free site for books out of publication. I’ve read all of the David Dickinson ‘Lord Powerscourt’ series on this site. (I highly recommend this Victorian era mystery series set in the UK.)
Chris: Hi Graeme, it sounds like you had some great trips last month. I also have trouble reading on trips as I’m usually kept too busy interacting with friends and family to find time to read. I get my books from a variety of sources: ebooks and physical copies from the library, purchased ebooks from Amazon and paperbacks and hardbacks from friends. We trade books back and forth and I tell them that when I hand a book over to them, I want them to loan or give the book to someone else when they’re done with them. I don’t have room for books anymore. I also currently subscribe to Kindle Unlimited which is a great place to read multi-book series that would be too expensive to buy as a set. And, occasionally, I win books in the various contests that I enter.
Linda: I read mostly hardcover and paperback books. I do also read on my Kindle. I get my books on Thrift Books, which is a site I highly recommend. I also use Bridges Overdrive, which a site that is hooked up to my library and I do have to wait sometimes on the book I want, but that is not a problem. Plus I have several books on preorder from Amazon. I visit our Goodwill about once a week and find some really good bargains. Then I visit our local Book Shoppe mostly to get jigsaw puzzles. However, they have a second hand section where I find good bargains.
dpallas: I read both electronic and paper books, but mostly electronicc books. And, 95% of them are from the library. Love your newsletters and the website. I always find new series to try. Thank You!
Jill: How many ways to read are there? My father was a lifetime reader and I inherited that from him. He subscribed to Reader Digest Condensed Books for years. After reading what he wanted, he would give them to me. I read everything in all of those books. Many of my favorite authors I discovered there.
When Kindle books started I admit I believed you could not get as much satisfaction from reading without the physical presence of a book. Then I was given a Kindle for Christmas. I thought what a waste. But then I saw a list of 100 books to read in a lifetime on Amazon and that most of them were available on this new toy. I was hooked. I traded off, every other book is a paper book and then a Kindle one. I subscribed to Unlimited and some of those books offered audio. First listen I was hooked.
Then I upgraded my cell phone and discovered Libby. I love it all. I tend to have 3 books going at the same time. One audio, one, paper, and one Kindle. To keep them straight they are different genres.
I typically get my ebooks from the library using either the Libby or cloud library app. Although I find that the ebook catalog varies between librarys. I also subscribe to Kindle unlimited. Finally I do buy a few ebooks from Amazon. I never really got into audible books.
John: I read in probably a most common hybrid-method. I still love the feel of books, especially when I can find a used hardback from an independent store I find on our vacation travels. However, I save these for my reading nook at home, or on the beach. While traveling, I prefer my reading tablet. It fits into the back pocket of my jeans, is usually stocked with fifty or sixty books, and only weighs ounces. Also, it’s handy to have the built-in dictionary, and the lighted screen means I don’t have to turn on the overhead light on a plane while my fellow travelers are trying to get some sleep! Thanks for another great newsletter, and hope you find the time to relax with a book! Will talk to you next month!
Sven: Physical and the library.
Sue J: I need a book to hold! A Kindle just doesn’t do it for me. I tried, but missed the feel of holding a book. I go to a used book store where you can exchange your books for credit and buy others. I also order from various book sites, Amazon, go to book sales, or library sales. I’m always on the hunt for books! I so enjoy your Book Notification site. Thanks for all of your hard work!
Sue H: I listen to my books on Hoopla- a library ap from Colton, CA. They have so many more books it seems than Libby! Right now I am in the middle of the Glass & Steele series by C.J Archer. Sitting in SoCal traffic every day to and from work makes this a great stress reliever!
Sue A: Before I retired, it was an audio book (CD) in the car for my trip to and from work. About 40 minutes each way. But I always had a paper book that I read at home, mostly at night before going to sleep. I got through so many books that way.
Now that I am retired, I am not in the car as much, so I read in bed every night before going to sleep. I don’t care if it is 10 minutes or a couple of hours. I always read to end my day.
I don’t get through my book list as quickly, but I keep up best I can.
Shannon: Happy April. This year has flown by, and I haven’t read enough books yet.
I LOVE physical books. There’s just something about holding a book, feeling the pages and seeing how far I’ve read. I love getting book markers too.
Reading on my iPad doesn’t fulfil that. I’ve tried the iPad but it’s not for me. I haven’t tried audio books yet.
Rarely do I purchase physical books. I’m a library girl all the way! I always have a long list of books on hold. Sometimes my husband will go and pick one up for me. He always comes home and says “Everyone at the library says Hi” or “Everyone at the library misses you”. He knows my love of books and likes to tease me.
We just moved into a new house and the first place I want to go is the library. Can’t wait to get a library card.
Once we get this house unpacked, I’m doing nothing but catching up on my reading!
Richard: How do I read my books: Libby from the library. Ebooks. They are free of charge. I read mostly on my Android phone in bed although they scale up nicely on a tablet. My hat is off to Adobe for making a robust product here. Reason for ebooks:: they are so much lighter and no problem to carry around than an actual, physical book.
Renni: I love physical, opening a new book, the silky feel of the pages, the new smell ~
Old books, feeling sad to see folded corners, seeing where the book opens by itself and the smell of
all the hands that have held it ~
Unfortunately, I have issues with my hands and can not hold a physical book in my hand for very long.
I couldn’t handle not being able to read or limited to how long I could read, so fortunately e-readers
are available, though not my favorite for several reasons, they allow me to read no matter where I am
and no matter how long I want to read.
And, in the car or while walking, how great are audio books! I read at least 2 books at a time, only making
sure that they are different genres. Books, I would be lost without them, what pleasure “stepping” into
a book gives me ~
Phil A: Hi Graeme. To answer your Q, I still read physical books. I’m a dinosaur and I like it. A Brontosaurus in case you’re wondering
Phil: My shelves are full of physical books I’ve read and ones that are waiting to be devoured. My best friends hang out here: Cotton Malone, Harry Bosch, Isaac Bell; authors like James Michener, Edward Rutherford, and Stephen Lawhead. I travel to medieval France with Kate Mosse, Arthurian England with Bernard Cornwell and Helen Hollick and hang out with the Fellowship as they journey to return the ring. I also read histories of the American Revolution and westward expansion. Plus, most of my biographies are physical books.
My phone/tablet has three reading apps: Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and hoopla. Hoopla is new to me. My new hometown’s library offers books through it and I’m liking it…I just need to finish books before they need to be returned. My Kindle and B&N apps are mostly the paperback series I have read and continue to reread. I converted to digital when needing to make room for my hardcover book series.
And then there’s Audible. I do a lot of driving and I can get a lot of books read. I mostly focus on what I call brain candy: good mystery/thriller series (think John Sandford, Greg Hurwitz, Daniel Silva, Mark Greaney, Brad Thor, and Robert Galbraith) that keep me going while covering a lot of road.
I’m not one to have only one book going at a time. I’m glad to have so many options.
Peggy: Love this question! I was a Kindle reader since they first came out–had one of those that was the size of an iPad. But a year or two ago I was just paying too much for many Kindle books–often $9.99 – $14.99. They offer free and inexpensive ones, but the ones I wanted were pricey. So I went retro. I prefer hardcovers to small paperbacks. Not a library person, I don’t like having a time limit on my book reading. First, I found that thrift stores in town sell hardcovers for $1 – $2, many recent, most in new condition. We have 4 of the Little Free Library kiosks, one next to the grocery store I frequent. Many choices there, and a place to take my finished books. I do still rarely read on a Kindle, but I don’t like the small screen, requiring recharging often, nearly as much as a hardcover. I also find that Thriftbooks.com has many titles for half the price of the same book on Kindle.
Pat: Most of the books that I read are either hard bound or paperback. right now I am reading the Cape Light Series by Katherine Spenser and Thomas KInkade. trying to get quite a few of these books read, so I can get them passed on as I have close to five hundred books and at my age I need to start down sizing my collection. But the problem with that is finding some of the books to fill in a series or the high price that some sellers are asking for those books so they read all at one time. but I do have quite a few on my kindle tablet waiting for me to read.
Ola: I prefer to read the physical copies of books which I usually get it my local library. The state of North Carolina has a collaboration between public libraries that allows me to search for books I want to read and they can be delivered to my local library and I’ll return them to my local library.
If there is a book I want to read that’s not included in the any of the state libraries, or if I want to read it right away, I will purchase through Amazon.
Sandy: I love holding the book in my hands when I am reading. I am lucky enough to have friends who buy books and pass them on to me. Otherwise, I go to the library. I seldom buy a book, unless I really enjoyed it and will read it again. Otherwise, I am just too cheap. I do buy books for children as gifts, hoping they will learn to love reading as much as I do.
Stacy D: Being retired and involved with the DAR as a chairperson for Literacy promotion my time is very focused on that and on keeping moving and my eyesight as I have Macular issues. I love to read and use all mediums. The feel of a book is still wonderful even with my arthritis, next I enjoy audio books because I run from one exercise class to the next. My ebooks come in handy when I can’t find an audio book at the library. My favorite genres are history, mystery, classics and some biography/memoire. I often wish I could get the library to get a book that I want to read… I have memberships in three libraries and often çannot find a specific book I would like to read.
Louise: I read physical books. Still like the feel in my hands of a “real” book. I live in a small town that does not have a large library budget. However, in CT we bibliamation which allows us to reserve books in libraries throughout the state. We reserve the book through our library accounts online and there is a service that delivers the books we order to our local library. It is a wonderful service provided by the state of CT and I certainly take advantage of it.
Louis: Morning, Graeme: I like the feel of a book in my hands. My wife, otherwise, will pick and use her kindle for book club books the majority of time.
We both use our local library for up and coming new books, best sellers, mysteries and thrillers. We have the entire state to use for search and hold requests and can usually receive a book in a week’s time. For soon to be published ones like Toxic Prey by John Sandford, there is quite a waiting list and delivery will take longer.
We will from time to time, call upon Amazon for a book. Further, the Mysterious Bookstore in Manhattan is another source for me, occasionally. By phone, my order is handled with top notch customer service and there is a flat shipping fee, no matter how large the order. The shop is located on Warren Street (downtown), owned by Otto Penzler and in addition to one on one sales, there are book clubs to which members can belong.
“So many books, so little time” is a phrase I say with a friend at our YMCA most mornings. Thank you for this opportunity.
Laurie: Mostly I read on my Kindle. It’s hard not to – if I start a book and hate it, I just go to another one. Easy.
The way to get books is through Amazon. I’d love to know another method. (I use Book Funnel also)
I love when I can get an ebook through the library.
Laurie
L.C.: I used to listen to dark contemporary or paranormal romance audiobooks as my primary source of reading, but now I’ve switched to a whole other medium: manwhas! These South Korean comics differ in variety of artwork and the historical romance stories have won me over. (I particularly enjoy the villainous and magical subgenres too.) My Kindle library stores well over a thousand ebooks I’ve yet to tackle through. I’ve amassed my collection via Amazon US (even though I’m in Canada) because of the wider selection and frequent sales.
Kathy: Before my recent eye surgery I downloaded a few audio books. I discovered that I could put a sports game on mute, knit and listen to a book at the same time. Lovely!
kat: “How do you read? Physical? ebook? Audio? And what services do you use to acquire books?”
1. hardback is my favorite
2. paperback
3. ebook, kindle
i get all my books from the library or free ebook lists that i check every day.
i used to get the physical books from the library but since covid i only read kindle (which i won thankfully!) or paperbacks that i win
i never buy books …..theres not a day that goes by that im not reading, ive been that way my whole life
thanks for asking!
Julie: I only read physical books. All my fellow readers do audiobooks, ebooks and physical books, but I am strictly a book reader. I buy used books online from eBay and Paperback Swap, local used book sellers and thrift shops, and new books from my local Barnes & Noble.
Jessica U: Hi. I have alot of physical books, but haven’t read them yet. I also listen to audiobooks. My mother was wanting me to listen to the book I’m reading now. She listened to it on youtube. I decided to get the ebook instead of listening to it on youtube. That book is Watchers by Dean Koontz. The movie based on the book sucked and the second movie sucked. I am watching Watchers III on Friday. I got the ebook on ZLibrary. None of my usual places had the book. I usually get my audiobooks from Overdrive and Hoopla Digital. I get my ebooks from Overdrive, Hoopla Digital, and Open Library.
Jayme: I read on my Kindle and I do pay for Kindle Unlimited. I also have available two local libraries for ebooks. I miss the sensation of paper books but when arthritis took away my ability to hold a paperback book for any length of time, Kindle was a life saver. I also appreciate having a library in my pocket I have over 1,000 books on my Kindle. I have an Amazon Prime members so I tried a free trial on Audible but for many reasons I just can’t do audio books. My brain requires visual input or it floats off on a tangent and I loose track of the plot.
Jane: I only read in print and use the library constantly.
Irene F: When I was younger all I read were hardcover or paperback books. Then the chaplain where I worked introduced me to the new “Kindle”. I was so excited and for years that’s how I read. Then I retired and wanted to volunteer and a friend suggested our local library. That started my return to hard covers. It’s just a great feeling holding a book. But I continue to also read on my Kindle, especially when new books by some of my favorite authors come out. I also subscribe to Kindle Unlimited but being a retiree I’m a little more conscious of costs. So I do a combination of ways. No matter how I read it is my favorite way to spend a day.
Hollins: I am like you – an avid Kindle reader (on my iPad). It is great for traveling – never a shortage of books to read. Also, since I have gotten so used to reading books on my Kindle with better lighting and fonts, I find it difficult to read print books any more.
Sometimes I listen to audio books, mostly when traveling though. If a book is good, I can read it a lot faster than listening to it.
I occasionally resort to physical books, but only when I cannot get an ebook from the library and I need it for a book club. The only exception I have made recently was to buy Golda Meir’s autobiography when I was in Jerusalem last year.
I get my ebooks from the library (via Libby) or Amazon.
Liz K: I read on my IPad and phone constantly. If you live in Pennsylvania, like I do, all you have to do is join your town library. Then you can belong to other libraries in Pa. The biggest one is the Free Library of Pennsylvania. You can hold up to 9 books. I am forever getting books. If, by chance, I’m waiting for a book from the library I then go to Kindle Unlimited. I read about 70 books a year and very seldom buy one. As soon as a book I want comes out, I put it on hold. It might take a while but I always have something to read.
Elizabeth: Reply to question of the month.
Most of the books I read are hardback from our local public library. Occasionally someone gives me a paperback to read as well. I usually don’t purchase books for myself, but I do give books as gifts, especially to my grown children.
David: 1. Physical Books. 75%. Borrow from my local library or through interlibrary loans, very rarely fail to get the one I want. Most of the time I am reading series from a range of authors on a range of topics from Lee Child to C J Box to Linda Castillo on this side of the Atlantic and Mark Billingham to Anne Cleeves to Linda La Plante on the other side.
In the winter the pile by my La-Z-Boy goes down and in the summer goes up as reading competes with golf!
2 Books on CD. 20% Listen in the car and again varies from local (not much) to long trips to visit family in the US ( a lot)! Big issue is that new vehicles no longer have CD players built in! Probably not in the market for a new vehicle at my age 79 mind you. Again get them from the library!
3. E books. 5%. Not my favourite format, but always have one or two going for when I can’t sleep at night! Use my iPhone for that.
Obviously I don’t buy many books, especially new ones. On the odd occasions when the library fails me I go to book fairs etc. with varying levels of success.
End of sermon, back to my book.
Christine: I read physical books, though I have a bunch of e’s from… what’s its name?… saved to my flash drive. I mostly buy my books secondhand-at the library’s quarterly sale, at Thriftbooks and BetterWorld, and anywhere else that I can find something I want. New books cost so much-even paperbacks-that I’ve about given up on them.
Alvin: My son gifted me a KINDLE a couple of Christmas’ ago and I enjoy the convenience, the volume of available books, the brightness control of the pages, the portability and the ability to read in the dark.
But, at least to me, nothing can replace the scouring of the shelves in a book store; finding exactly what you like and the comforting heaviness of the book in your hand as you read, licking your finger, to turn the page. With a KINDLE you can’t jot down notes in the margin; you can’t dog-ear a page; you can’t pass along the book to a friend; you can’t shelve the book in your meager office. If it’s all the same to you, I stick with paper.
Ann: Because I am a volunteer on the Board of Trustees of my local library, I do read physical books. I read them during the day. I have also developed the ability to knit and read at the same time. Now I am able to do two of my favorite things at once!
At night, in bed, I read on my kindle because I do not need a light. If I cannot sleep, I can read. Most nights I fall asleep with my kindle and my cat in bed with me! Kindle Unlimited save my sanity during the pandemic so I do use that for the majority of my e-reading. Hoopla and Overdrive allow me to read library books also.
Carol: My greatest discovery was an extension to Chrome that works on amazon, audible and goodreads. It is called The Library Extension and is available at the webstore for Chrome for free. This extension works as follows: any book that you bring up on those sites immediately loads the availability of that title at all of the public libraries you use. I use four. It also lets me place my order through the app. I click borrow or hold. They automatically show up in Libby as my loan without my doing anything else. I am not someone who only reads new books. I read from every year of publication. So a lot of titles I input are available now. I also have a tendency to read a series of books all in one go. Recently, for example, I went through a Sophie Hanna detective series. In such a series, except for one published that very year, they are all available. You put a hold on the very newest one and meanwhile read the previous ten books. I blasted through all of Wallander and Morse that way, to name just two. My northeast Ohio libraries are excellent. I have one that is state of Ohio that is all digital. I use books in two formats: ebook or audiobook. If I want a book that physically exists only, I buy it. This is very rare. I also like the Hoopla and Kanopy public library movie and tv free borrows. I do belong to audible but don’t use it more than once a month as a subscriber and member of Prime. I own no bookshelves, no tv, no radio, no landline. I do everything through apple products, mac air, ipad, iphone. I am 75 and my computer knowledge pays off every day of my senior life. I got quite good at them decades ago.