Buying Books on My Phone Has Cured my Reading Slump

Submitted by Mundane-Cost4076 t3_ycxsxu in books

I’ve always wanted to get kindle on my phone but never got around to it. I like to read hardcopy, but i lay down a lot and travel during the day, so getting ebooks has been a godsend.

You can read in the dark, on your side, in the shower. Maybe this is just exposing how lazy i am but it’s made reading so much more accessible for me. Like i can whip that shit out so easy during boring lectures, while walking, etc. reminds me of hiding books under my desk during class in middle school. I guess back then i carried books religiously like phones.

Maybe this is just the sad reality of the digital age, but it’s also saved me from resorting to tik tok and shit when I’m bored, and when i open my phone i can be distracted by books instead.

Anyone else?

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Evil-Sometimes t1_itoymgt wrote

Same. I have also moved to listening to audiobooks while I work. I just started the Witcher during my shift yesterday.

Get the Libby app. You can connect it to your local library and check out books whenever you feel like it.

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Mundane-Cost4076 OP t1_itozu7d wrote

I tried but my local library has no selection and I can’t get to connect to Libby, so i’m trying to see if i can register with another county’s library system, but it’s seeming like I can’t 😢

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FLBNR t1_itpknz5 wrote

It is difficult. A lot of libraries require you to provide proof that you’re a resident of the county to get a card.

There are some counties around the United States that don’t have that requirement, though. They charge you money to get the card.

Here’s a site that has a breakdown: https://www.aworldadventurebybook.com/blog/libraries-with-non-resident-borrowing-privileges

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Mundane-Cost4076 OP t1_itrk29i wrote

Thank you! Yeah i’m not a resident of the county, I might have to pay a fee

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[deleted] t1_itp1rm5 wrote

[removed]

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okiegirl22 t1_itpoz7j wrote

Per Rule 3.6: No distribution or solicitation of pirated books.

We aren't telling you not to discuss piracy (it is an important topic), but we do not allow anyone to share links and info on where to find pirated copies. This rule comes from no personal opinion of the mods' regarding piracy, but because /r/books is an open, community-driven forum and it is important for us to abide the wishes of the publishing industry.

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MaddieMad1116 t1_itvw4vm wrote

A lot of big city libraries are open to state residents in general. Here on the east coast, NY residents can get a NYPL card and PA residents can get a Philadelphia library card, both of which have tons of ebooks. Maybe your state has a library like these!

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todds- t1_itr4taj wrote

I read using Libby/Overdrive for a good while but it ended up feeling restrictive and I'm sad about it. Wish my library had more selection on there. I read a lot of books and loved it! but it was like each time I had to search more and more to find something to read. now I go get real books from the library again.

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Downtown-Egg-2031 t1_itp3j89 wrote

EXACTLY what happened with me. I read barely 5 books this year ( because I’m preoccupied) and then last week I bought a kindle and woah I already read 6. People are underestimating how much you can read if you could just lie down comfortably and still be able to read

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Dpressed_bunny t1_itozg05 wrote

No. You're right, it's so much easier to adapt to whatever environment you're in. I'm in my dorm and read waay into the 2am, obviously with my roommate I can't have a light on, so this is just perfect. It's easily accessible, adapts to your orientation easily, it's perfect. I have a bunch of physical copies that I haven't touched because it's just so much easier to read on my kindle. It's a great invention that has come out of the digital age tbh, I don't find it to be a "sad" reality.

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Mundane-Cost4076 OP t1_itozq3u wrote

Honestly biggest upside is just being able to lay down in the dark and read, especially with roommates

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Lanfear_Eshonai t1_itp3c2u wrote

I am with you on this! Not that I was ever in a reading slump, but downloading Kindle on my phone a few years ago was a game changer for. So many new books to read, at so much cheaper, and all the other benefits of customising setting, etc.

Still love my hard copies, but only now buy second hand or the ones I really love and will read again.

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Mundane-Cost4076 OP t1_itp3sj3 wrote

Feels so much easier to get access to books, and less of an investment getting books ur not sure about!

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Lanfear_Eshonai t1_itp6urn wrote

Exactly! I have Kindleunlimited now as well, and it really helps with all the books you can borrow for free or read samples of.

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SheepskinCrybaby t1_itp5fty wrote

I used to read a ton on my phone. When I warmed up my car in the morning, breaks at work, getting my oil changed, on a park bench. Very often when waiting for people, never for too long, but enough to get a few pages in and I don’t mind read-waiting. All the little snippets add up and all the sudden you’ve read a whole book! It started to really mess with my eyes so I’m an audiobook person now. But phone book reading is such a blessing.

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legend_forge t1_itv18z3 wrote

I haven't read a novel in years but about a month ago I started reading on my phone and I've burned through 6 in that time. Its like I'm back in my highschool reading habits.

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Astrid-Wish t1_itpd2u1 wrote

The screen dimming and fon't adjusting is great for me on app and the Kindle. I'm very light sensitive so ... Godsend.

My library is okay. The digital selection is county wide so it's better.

Generally you can only get a card for the county you legally reside in. (Florida libraries have a special thing for snowbirds).

I have family on other countries, and we've shared our library cards so we can find different things. Maybe not totally legal - I don't know. But it has worked for us.

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cr0wj4ne t1_itq0qwa wrote

I'm with you! I have a Kindle, but 90% of the time I read on my phone. Like you said, it's so convenient. I really like being able to read throughout the day at random times, even if it's for short periods of time. I don't think this is sad at all - anything that gets people reading is good 😊

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boxer_dogs_dance t1_itq7qp0 wrote

Same. It means I can read a book rather than scrolling reddit on a bus, or in bed after lights out.

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FlyingPurpleUnicorn t1_itqosa7 wrote

Same here! I read 10x faster on my phone than hardcover. I still read and love books I can hold in my hand and flip the pages, but reading digitally is a game changer.

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Tough_Farm266 t1_its2rru wrote

Had this exact same experience and wound up buying a kindle. It’s increased my reading time significantly! Now I just keep an eye out for my fave hard copies on sale as collectors items essentially.

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_the_credible_hulk_ t1_itpgrrg wrote

Pro tip: get the Libby app, attach it to your public library card (or get a free e-card from a library like Brooklyn that now allows anyone anywhere to borrow), and start enjoying free books and audiobooks. (You might have to wait for some titles.)

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1357908642468097531e t1_itpz0yn wrote

Which one from Brooklyn? I have a library card but some of the series usually aren't there so I can only read half. I was wondering if there was a free ones that I could use to fill it up..

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Mundane-Cost4076 OP t1_itrkdrc wrote

I live in Washington state outside of the county, is it available even from here?

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travelw3ll t1_itpiny1 wrote

I jumped from paper books, to phone and iPad reading, and then found e-readers which it took me out of a slump for sure and increased my reading like a thousand percent it seems.

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jess_412 t1_itpm2l0 wrote

Why sad? More accessibility is a good thing.

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Mister-guy t1_itq396e wrote

I used to love reading on my phone and the convenience of having a book on you at all times. It works really well when you’re reading a longer book, and lug a big book around.

Ultimately I switched back to regular books…. Unfortunately you can’t buy ebooks used, and you can’t lend them out for people to borrow!

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alexjesssmith t1_itqrtu7 wrote

Yes! Reading on my phone has been an amazing tool for me to get back into reading after being burnt out after university and feeling like I would never read for fun again! I’m also dyslexic and being able to have smaller pages/ adjust the size has also made reading and staying in track easier! Now that I have caught the reading bug I’ve gone back to some kindle/ physical books too.

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hotdogtofu t1_itsogo6 wrote

I started reading on my iPad back in 2010 and have hardly read a physical book since then. I quickly switched to the kindle and now the kobo. It’s so convenient!

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grapetomatoes t1_itti46h wrote

I think it also has to do with text size and consistency. Larger font sizes help with focus and I think reading the exact same size/font book to book helps too!! I picked up an actual book recently and was like omg the font is so small I can’t do this!

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Pams-Pictorama t1_itu8iii wrote

Project Gutenberg and other free sites have allowed me to find and read a lot of early fiction for free! Not only was it free access many of these books (the short stories of Edna Ferber are wonderful!), but they are hard to find or expensive to purchase.

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voornaam1 t1_iu1jhkx wrote

There aren't many bookstores in my area, the library got turned into an elderly home a while ago and I don't really like reading in my native language, if ebooks didn't exist I would not be in this subreddit right now because I wouldn't be able to enjoy reading.

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roosterfareye t1_itp20l2 wrote

Whatever makes it easier to read! I have a lot going on and try to squeeze at least an hour in a day. I am reading War and Peace on my old Kindle 4 as I do my 40 minute treadmill workout - fast walk, heavy incline and yeah - old Kindle - just in case!

It actually is a really good place to read without interruption! I get side-eyed but I'm just that bit too old to give a damn!

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Ashh_RA t1_itpj7gl wrote

I’ve always loved it he idea of books. But was a bad reader. I just rarely did it. Couldn’t be bothered. Too lazy. Too much effort.

Just 56 days ago, I discovered reading on my phone. I’ve read 5 books in 56 days. For the exact reason you mention. So easy to just read a little anywhere anytime. Compare that with about 1 per year before that.

Plus, I love the goals in iPhone book app. Like daily streak, and book goal for the year (which I’ve already succeeded and increased like 4 times). Feels good to achieve a goal.

I still like the idea of pretty books. I’ll keep buying them. I’ll just put them on my shelf, then download the ebook and read that instead. Haha.

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Nonamenoonenowhere t1_itt5eib wrote

Same. Since I had my baby I could barely get any reading time in. Having kindle on my iPhone has made it so that I can read again in the little lapses in between responsibilities

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