Ebooks have transformed our lives in far more ways

 I’m not old enough to pull the whole ‘back-in-my-day-I-read-by-candlelight’, and I certainly can’t relate to the youngest generation of readers who grew up reading in the dark. 

That last bit I don’t mean figuratively: Kindle’s, iPad’s and other self-lit electronic devices have made it so we can continue reading after mains lights are switched off. Taking it one step further, audiobooks mean we can quite literally ‘read’ with our eyes closed.

However, Ebooks have transformed our lives in far more ways than simply invalidating bedside lamps. Now, we can carry an entire library in the pocket of our jeans and the complete works of Charles Dickens can be at your fingertips, simply by tapping ‘download’. All this, done from your living room.

I have to admit this was a blessing in the first few weeks of Michaelmas. As a fresher, studying in the Bodleian library was a terrifying prospect, let alone the faculty library… far safer to stay in my cosy room on the top floor, with the kettle close to hand (although this is potentially more dangerous, as my friends will testify) and my entire reading list on SOLO – all without the intimidating sound of relentless typing.

Mention JSTOR to any humanity student and the response you’ll get is probably close to that of a fan asked about their favourite celebrity. I’m yet to meet an English student who hasn’t written an entire essay using last-minute JSTOR articles – to say we ‘worship’ it isn’t such an overstatement considering it is a lifeline for most of us.