As I’ve mentioned a few times, through most of my life I was an avid book collector. Perhaps a hoarder. Regardless, I had a ton of books. Maybe literally. Like many of you I don’t just enjoy reading, I’m into books, the physical artifact of the book. But then maybe half a dozen years ago, I started reading books on a Kindle. Soon after I moved to the Kindle app on an iPad – the Kindle devices themselves I’ve never liked, though I haven’t tried the new ones in years. And something clicked in my brain and I switched – to the point where I have almost a block on reading physical books. This isn’t an ideological or aesthetic choice or decision. To the extent that it is, I’d be on the physical book side. But, as I said, something just clicked for me and I couldn’t go back.
So in our Insight polls I decided to ask this question. How are you reading books these days. Results after the jump.
1. How do you currently read books? In their physical form (i.e. traditional paper or clothbound books) or digital books on devices like Kindle, Nook, etc?
I read physical books: 46%
I read a mix of physical books and digital books: 38%
I read digital books on Kindle, Nook or similar devices: 10%
I seldom read books: 7%.
(Answer choices are randomized. The poll is made up of a weighted sample of 2,068 qualified respondents.)
What can we draw from this? Not first that this is by design not a sample of the public at large. One thing I take from it is that I remain in a distinct minority – which I’m fine with because the demise or decline of the physical book bums me out a lot. But almost 50% of respondents appear to be substantial consumers of digital books, something that all but didn’t exist a decade ago as a mature, mass consumption item.
