Poll Results: Where do you get your books?

The results are in! Plus, e-book benefits and how you can get them for free...

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Where do you most frequently acquire books, whether for fun or informational purposes?

This is a question I asked readers in a recent poll, and when it closed, we ended up with 44 "votes". You were allowed to choose more than one answer, so the results may not add up to exactly 100%.

18 people (40%) download books on an e-reader
15 people (34%) buy books brand-new at a store
15 people (34%) buy books used or swap with friends
16 people (36%) borrow books from the library
1 person (2%) answered that they never read books

The results are pretty even across the board. The slight majority of people download books to their e-readers. With e-books becoming more popular (and much more convenient!), it seems this is the way of the future.

Will the print versions become obsolete? I don't believe so. I think there will always be a market for printed books, although the number of printed copies may be on the decline. If anything, authors can potentially earn more money by offering a print AND downloadable version of their works.

At least, I know I have purchased more books now that I have an e-reader, simply because - when I decide I want to read a particular book - it is more convenient than waiting until I am able to go to a bookstore or ordering it online. If that was the case, I probably would end up passing on it altogether.

I rarely buy books brand-new. I do enjoy getting a great deal on printed books at garage sales, thrift stores, and book sales. I will even occasionally swap books with friends. But for the most part, I do most of my reading on my Nexus 7.

What is so great about e-books?

They are green. They take up less space in your house. They are cheaper. And you can get lots of them for free!

How??

 

• Check out books from your local digital library for free. First, open an account with your local library. Then, you will need to download whatever app(s) your library uses. Use your virtual library card to check out any books that your library has available, up to your limit.
• Download free e-books from Amazon using the Kindle app. Amazon has tons of free e-books every day; using the Kindle store, simply search "free ebooks". Even if you don't have a Kindle, you may be able to download the app to your tablet; I am able to with my Google Nexus.
• Join Amazon Prime to borrow books for free. Okay, not completely free. For an annual fee, you can get various perks at Amazon.com - including borrowing one book at a time from the Kindle lending library. The only problem? You have to own a Kindle device to be able to check out free e-books.

Where do you get your books? Have you gotten some really great deals on e-books? If you have any tips, please share below in the comments.