TAWANDA MARWIZI
Information Communication Technology is fast taking space in both developed and developing countries. This has enabled fast communication as well as the invention of several technologies across the globe.
On the flip side, the changing technology has been a headache for authors that graced this year’s edition of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair, which kicked off on Monday.
The major question they are faced with is if the country is now ready for e-books. Zimbabwe is still a developing country and some authors have already raised concern if the e-book can be an effective way of publishing their works. A number of authors believe in hard copies as they are easily accessible in most developing countries.
Thousands of people in developing countries are still struggling to access internet while the issue of expensive data bundles also contributes to the failure by several people to access the books.
The theme for this year’s edition ‘The Book: creating the future’ is a direct encouragement for authors to consider future generations when writing their books.
According to an analysis on Spreeder, there are many factors to consider when discussing the matter of e-books vs. printed books, but ultimately, it boils down to the reader’s preference.
Avid fans of printed books claim that there’s still nothing like the smell of paper and the rustle of the pages as the reader flips gently through the book with their fingers. There’s something intimately rustic about the entire experience, they claim, and it’s one that cannot be derived from the cold, electronic e-book version.
On the other hand, those who prefer the e-book often say that the device takes a whole lot of weight from their shoulders – literally. Packing for trips is bad enough as it is, but it becomes doubly so when confronted with the task of choosing which book to bring. With the e-book, however, a reader can take hundreds of books with them on the journey, and only take up a few square inches in their carry-on bag.
Apart from these physical considerations, however, studies have shown that when it comes to reading comprehension, printed books are still a better choice. One such study was recently conducted by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop.
The study found that literacy building in children is more effective with a printed book than with an e-book because of the centralised focus on the story and the opportunities for interaction between the child and the parent reading the book with the child.
While e-books also deliver the story, and encourage children to participate with interactive add-ons, there is no conversation and nothing to encourage the child to verbalise or explore using language. In fact, the research concluded that sometimes “clickthrough” added features can actually detract from the reading experience because of all the interruptions.
Jasper Maenzanise the interim chair (Executive Board) Zimbabwe International Book Fair Association said a number of issues have been discussed at the festival, and he hopes that the recommendations will work in favour of the book industry .
“We are happy that people are engaging and as you have heard a number of authors have deliberated on several issues among them the e-book debate,” he said.
Maenzanise said it was encouraging to see people coming and hoping that when the festival ends tomorrow there would have been more fruitful engagements.
Veteran author Aaron Chiundura Moyo said there was need to balance between e-books and hard copy books as people in Zimbabwe still preferred the hard copy although there was a gradual shift to e-books.
ZIBF is Africa’s premier book and publishing trade fair, showcasing the largest and most diverse annual exhibition of books, magazines, journals, CDs, DVDs as well as printing and publishing technology on the continent.
