Converting to Digital

I am a long-time hold-out for physical books over e-books.  I say all the same things old book lovers say, that there's something comforting about holding something in your hand, turning the pages, even smelling the smell of old paper.  But it turns out that cost was my main concern, and once that was negated and even flipped, I converted to e-books instantly.

Let me explain.  I am very thrifty.  I feed my reading fix by buying dirt cheap used books, both at shops and in person.  E-books, while convenient, cost money.  End of discussion.

Except that my dear friend who I caught up with last weekend reminded me that e-books don't have to cost money, because they can be "borrowed" from the Free Library.  I gasped aloud when he shared this blazing insight with me.  And, once we hung up, I made a beeline to my computer and confirmed that this is true.  Within minutes, I had bookmarked a couple of dozen titles and downloaded my first e-book, "Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg.

And, within hours, I had completed reading my first e-book.

It helped that the book is really good and really interesting.  (This is a post for another time.)  But, while I probably prefer turning pages and viewing letters on paper, reading on my phone was actually not bad.  Plus, it is obviously more portable.  And did I mention that this is all free with a library card?

Obviously, this changes the whole equation for me now.  Now if you'll excuse me, I'm well on my way to finishing my second e-book, "One Summer: America, 1927," by Bill Bryson.