Paper v. Screen

Image from the American Library Association website

A couple of studies have been done recently regarding reading comprehension and reading from a paper source or an electronic source. This study from Norway looked at 10th graders and found that information read from a paper source creates a deeper level of understanding and is retained for longer.

It will be interesting to see where this goes if results can be replicated elsewhere. There is a massive shift going on currently with text books. Many schools are shifting to digital-only distribution of materials to students. As you know if you've read more of my rambling entries on this blog, I am no luddite. I enjoy technology and the clever and inventive ways libraries and librarians put it to use. But I have to wonder if it will turn out that ebooks and their ilk will, rather than supplant, end up coexisting with their ancient counterpart, the paper book