Australian teens are reading print more than they are reading e-books. Joint research conducted by Melbourne’s Deakin University and Perth’s Murdoch University has found that 60% of teenagers aged 12 to 16 who read regularly are turning pages on printed books. The research also shows 50% of young adults read frequently for pleasure.
Dr Leonie Rutherford is the project leader behind the new study and said that despite the proliferation of e-readers and smartphones, teens are reading print. “We surveyed around 550 teenagers and interviewed about 40 in depth, and found that while some are using digital e-readers, the majority say they preferred real, printed books,” says Rutherford.
“The teenagers commented they appreciated the physical and sensory lure of a real book, and said printed texts are often more accessible and easier to handle than e-books. Those who we spoke to in-depth said they prefer the feel of a real object and the fact they can own a book and put it on the shelf.”
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.