The printed word in a digital world

photo by ginnerobot

I know I own more books then I can count and have a hearty collection of magazines and papers too. I also know many people who have a vast collection of books like myself. Are we the minority in America?

After reading the article I was curious about if people were still reading, especially when bookstores seem to be closing in favor for places like Amazon or other internet sites.

Amazon recently published its third quarter earnings statement and reported a $13.8 billion revenue and a operating loss of $28 million, with a net income standing at a loss of $274 million. Amazon net sales increased 27 percent in the last 12 months. So are people relying on the internet to stock their library? Or are books being changed into the digital realm so we don't need physical books anymore?

Being a journalist you hear many saying that the printed word and the newspapers are going the way of the dinosaurs. Are people thinking that of books too?

Being in the writing industry means being in a rapidly growing and changing field. Being able to publish digital material and still print is a good thing. This means two venues in which your writings can be accessed. So maybe this swing to digital using such devices as iPads, Kindles and other tablets. It might actually be a good thing for the publishing industry at large.

The written word and printed word are not going anywhere soon. It is still a main way to gain information and to pass it on to others. The swing to digital might mean that its time to add new skills to the repertoire of the publishing industry.

So many questions, the main answer (at least I personally feel) is that people are still reading. Whether we are reading books and newspapers off a computer screen or from a printed publication, it's just good to know that people are still reading.