By: Leila Barns

From talking on our mobile phones to reading online newspapers, technology has definitely done its job by changing our day to day activities. Technology has replaced a lot of our modern habits. Even hard-covered and paperback books are making their way out of our lives. Books that you find at a library aren’t so popular any more. Now, you can get books on your tablet or computer. But, are eBooks (electronic books) really better than standard hard-covered books?

Junior Isabelle Lundin leans toward the traditional. “I definitely prefer real books because reading off of a screen is harder to see. I also like the smell of real books.” Lundin said. Sophomore Jermaine Buttram agreed with Lundin’s statement. “It hurts my eyes looking at the screen for  too long. That means reading online would be a pain,” said Buttram. The research is on Buttram’s side. Studies have shown that looking at a screen for too long can damage your eyesight. Reading off a screen is difficult because you constantly stare at your device, poorly affecting your eyes.

Still, eBooks have their fans at Central. Junior Faith Mpeba said she likes eBooks better. “There are websites that people write stories on. For some reason you can only find them online too. Ebooks are better because you can check out stories from all around the world. You can’t always get a physical book from a different country, but you can look one up online,” Mpeba stated.

Readers of different generations discuss this topic thoroughly. As readers evolve, some prefer to sit down with a book in their hand while others prefer to have a book on their tablet. Only time will tell how we read.