Ebook vs. Printed Books in Buenos Aires: The Traditional Book Continues to Resist

Abstract

Explores the features of the Argentinian book readers in both formats: traditional and digital. A qualitative and quantitative research was conducted at UADE Fundation, in order to understand the new trends of digital reading in comparision to the traditional ones. At the first part of the research, 28 individuals were consulted in-depth interview. Then a survey was conducted, with a sample size of 585 individuals living, studying or working in AMBA (Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires). The results shows differences on habits based on age: the younger readers prefer digital formats while people older than 50 years preferred traditional reading contexts. About the needs of information at the moment of working, reading for pleasure or studying, the use of both formats reached the highest level of mentions, as well as the smart phone as a device of reading.  Also, a low use and level of spending in digital formats was evident. As Morales & Espinoza1 said, also in AMBA the co-existence of print and digital reading books seems to be future of the reading trend in AMBA.