The Changing Appeal of Books

Appeal is, in some ways, an intangible aspect of reading, suggesting and loving books. Of course there are aspects of appeal that are tactile – the smell of a book, the weight of it, the picture on the cover, etc. – but there are parts of the appeal that are also intangible. Some of those we can quantify – pacing, characterization, frame, story, etc. – and some we cannot. Sometimes people identify a book or author that they like/appreciate but cannot tell us why. While it is frustrating to try to find a similar book or author without concrete evidence as to why it was a favorite, it is something that we are all probably guilty of, as professionals as well as pleasure readers.

When I talk about e-books and audiobooks with patrons, I find that they can be polarizing. The group that prefers audiobooks either finds it more comfortable to read them (due to poor eyesight, inability to hold books, difficulty with reading/literacy, or other reasons) or use them to supplement long times when they are distracted by other activities such as driving and working. In my experience, I have found that those who prefer audiobooks are loyal to them and will do whatever they can to get them. For this sector of patrons, the appeal for these books can vary from traditional books. These patrons look for good narrators, who keep them engaged, and are entertaining. They seek music that mirrors the story and enhance the tone. Of course they appreciate the story and characters, but I have some patrons who are more committed to following a certain narrator than type of book! Many still seek genre or subject specific books, but I do believe the appeal factor for audiobooks varies a bit from traditional print books.

E-book fans have different appeal factors to contend with. In some ways, e-books mirror appeal factors of print books. Most, if not all, have a cover picture that sets the tone for the book; swiping across a page gives the idea of turning a page; patrons are able to read at their own speed. However, with readers – especially those like iPads and Kindle Fires – there are some differences with e-books. Patrons have the ability to change the size of the print which can be like reading large print – it encourages more “page turning” which can seem to increase pace. Patrons may change the page color to ease their eyes which presents a stark difference between print and e-books. The electronic table of contents allows for ease in navigating to new chapters with the touch of a finger. I believe that, subconsciously, patrons see this way of reading as speeding up the process of getting through a book. It may not actually decrease the amount of time devoted to reading a book, but with a single page presented on a tablet at once, it seems like readers are engaging more movement to get through a book which may be perceived as a faster pace.

In my experience, people who do read e-books are quick to say that they don’t want to “totally abandon regular books.” I don’t know if they feel a personal attachment to reading print books, or don’t want to be perceived as transitioning away from print books, but I do find it interesting. Even though these same patrons highlight some of the same reasons for enjoying e-books that were explored in the powerpoint, such as ease in getting books; privacy; etc., they seem to want to assure me (and themselves!) that they are still interested in print books.

In some ways, I think that people are still adjusting to the idea of books in alternate formats in libraries (especially e-books) and don’t quite understand that just because they are accessing them in different formats, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t using the library as they should. I think our role in RA is to encourage the exploration of formats that may be easier, more accessible or more fun for people to try, and reinforce the idea that for the most part, the reasons that patrons like certain books will not change. Sure, the format or the look may differ, but the content is in the same – and for most patrons, that’s what counts most of all.