I traveled over 125 days last year, so being able to carry a library’s worth of books in a device weighing 1.46 pounds is invaluable to me. I still harbor nostalgia for holding a printed book in my hands–studying the cover art, noticing tattered corners, hearing and feeling the familiar swoosh every time I turn a page. As we seek to provide 21st century methods for delivering the most important Book of all into the hands of children and youth around the world, we keep a very close watch on reading trends.
- In a head-to-head competition, people prefer e-books to printed books when they want speedy access and portability, but print wins out when people are reading to children and sharing books with others.
- 94% parents of minor children say it is important to them that their children read print books—eighty-one percent say it is “very important,” and an additional 13% say it is “somewhat important”.
- The prevalence of e-book reading is markedly growing, but printed books still dominate the world of book readers.
We anticipate that the reading preference among children and youth will make the change from paper to digital in the near future. We’ve already begun to transition our ministry practices accordingly by creating digital media outlets such as the Bible-rich interactive online Incredible Islands game and Bible App for Kids in partnership with YouVersion!
How is your ministry leveraging technology to remain relevant in a digital age?
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In a digital age, parents value printed books for their kids