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There is something special about relaxing on the couch after a long day and flipping through a book. Perhaps it’s the weight of the paper or the familiar scent from the bindings and pages. Whatever it is, it is soothing and comfortable. It might also be an experience that will be labeled in the next few years as “quaint” and “old-fashioned.” With the advent of e-readers and e-books, the era of printed media may appear to be coming to an end.

This switch from printed to digital media certainly has its benefits. E-books are more sustainable than traditional ink-and-paper books, and no one is going to complain about that. They also take up less space, and in places where space is a commodity, that is definitely high on the list of valid points in support of e-books. They’re also more portable, making it easier for people to take them places. But even considering these aspects, it still just isn’t the same.

Printed books cannot be replaced. It is not strictly a matter of reader preference, either, though a majority of readers prefer physical books to electronic ones. Printed books are at the center of every publishing company’s business model, and the effects on other industries ripple out from there.

First, consider the display made when a new book is released. The proud author is carted around to various locations to promote the book, usually with signings and question and answer panels. People learn to associate his or her face and name with their reading habits, picking up extra copies of their work for family and friends. The next time they release a book, the cycle begins again, hopefully with more people drawn to their writing.

Second, look at the evolution of the book itself. The first copy—the hardcover book—is displayed in windows and on shelves where people are likely to be drawn to it. It pointedly fills the back cover with the image of a smiling author, encouraging readers to associate this book with the trustworthy face on the back. People otherwise disinterested in an author or genre may find themselves picking it up. Then, a few weeks or months later, another copy is released in paperback, and the back cover and the first few pages of the book sing the praises of the author or the story.

Third, think of what happens once a book is finished. While people love to collect and reread books, times come when one must get rid of them. Printed books offer a luxury that electronic books do not: reselling. It is not the full price, but the slight rebate is refreshing, and it gives one the opportunity to purchase another few books. These books can also be bought used for cheaper than their electronic counterparts, and once these books are finished they can also be sold back. Used booksellers cannot do a thing without printed books.

The consumer also tends to be at a loss without physical copies of his book. An electronic book will still tell the story, but it will not encourage a stranger or friend to make idle conversation about it. A printed book isn’t going to run out of batteries or suffer a cracked screen. Electronic books cannot be shared; a reader will not be able to give the book to their brother or friend, or in the case of textbooks, to their classmate. And real books do not expire; some publishers have toyed with the idea of setting electronic books to delete themselves after a certain time period.

Electronic books cannot stock a library. Some libraries check them out, yes, with 14-day allowances. But once those 14 days are over, the file deletes itself, and the reader is blocked from checking it out again. And if an e-reader is lost or destroyed without a data backup, a person’s entire library is gone—something that with printed books requires something more like a fire or flood.

The benefits to electronic books are significant, but insufficient. So don’t worry, printed books are a staple of the reader’s daily habits and cannot be replaced by their electronic counterparts. ?