You may be surprised to learn that despite the fact that more people have access to digital devices, print magazines remains the favored media. What are the trends? Digital resources are convenient, don’t require space in the library and usage is easier to track. With digital, there’s no hunting around for missing issues and more users can access the same issue at the same time, at a lower cost per use. Digital magazine users don’t have to worry about content not being current and digital offers users the ability to share articles, etc. through social media channels.
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Most digital magazines can be interactive, creating an entirely different experience. Often, videos and animated images are embedded within an article that can be played directly within the magazine.
On the flip side, nothing can quite beat the feel of a glossy new magazine, nor can digital page-turners ever replace the sense of accomplishment gained from turning a physical page. Research from Two Sides, the global organization created to promote the responsible production, use and sustainability of print and paper, shows that many readers still prefer to read printed materials. Results of the U.S. and U.K. survey highlighted that 88 percent of respondents indicated that they understood, retained or used information better when they read print on paper compared to lower percentages (64 percent and less) when reading on electronic devices. When given a choice, 81 percent indicated that they prefer to read print on paper. |
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It’s important to note that not all materials are available in digital format, so there are limits to digital periodicals.
It is certain that the popularity of digital magazines will continue to grow, however digital may never fully replace print. To serve the library’s goal of offering diverse content to patrons while preserving our collections, a combination of print and digital will be the norm in the foreseeable future. |
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