prompt #5 (week 11)

Until I started working at my library, I was very wary of eBooks. Up until then, I'd only ever used eBooks for academic reading, so I didn't think the fiction experience could possibly translate from a physical book to an electronic one. However, after learning all about eMedia apps like Libby/Overdrive and Hoopla on the job, I can say I've almost fully converted. For the past four years, the majority of my reading has been eBooks on desktop computers at work or on my phone. Audiobooks and eAudiobooks have also become a larger part of my life during this time, competing for the primary entertainment source during my commute and afternoon walks. 

Given my affinity for these mediums, I tend to view eBooks and audiobooks as methods of providing a new dimension of storytelling, instead of merely offshoots from the physical book reading experience. Personally, eBooks have allowed me to read more than I ever had before, and that alone has helped me have a deeper understanding of genre. Essentially, the more works in a genre that I've been able to read translates to more knowledge gained about these types of novels, and the more comfortable I'll feel helping patrons look for books in the genre. I can still advise patrons on contemporary romances regardless of whether I read them on my laptop or not. eBooks have also enabled me to explore other genres, too, since it's easier to search for eBooks by genre, subject, length, etc. on the eMedia apps than if I was just browsing the shelves. In fact, I think a lot of the draw of eBooks and audiobooks has to do with accessibility of all kinds. Allowing readers to change font, line spacing, contrast/color, etc. enables them to optimize their experience, ensuring they'll be able to best engage with their story. If readers struggle to read physical books, their experience with and enjoyment of the story will suffer. Pacing and tone will be impacted if readers have to stop frequently to accommodate their experience. Alternatively, eBooks can eliminate this risk by allowing the reader to adjust their settings easily and as often as necessary. 

Personally, I haven't really experienced a difference between physical and eBooks when it comes to appeal factors. With storyline, pace, tone, writing style, and character (from NoveList Plus' Appeal Index), I have a hard time considering how any of these factors would be impacted by the different medium, as they have more to do with the actual content and writing of the novel than the means through which it is read. This could be because I've had a lot of experience with both mediums, though, and am comfortable either way. That being said, I do think appeal factors are impacted when reading illustrated material electronically versus physically. I still prefer to read graphic novels physically because it allows me to see the illustrations and understand the flow of the full page/multiple pages better than reading them on a laptop or phone screen. I've tried reading eBooks of graphic novels multiple times, and I just feel like the technology for it isn't as advanced as it needs to be. Graphic novels don't work the same way text eBooks do, but many apps don't account for this. Having to zoom in on particular panels as I read to get the full effect feels wrong and usually takes me out of the story.

Audiobooks definitely do impact appeal factors, if only because the medium requires additional appeals to capture the auditory experience. NoveList Plus' Appeal Index considers audiobook-specific appeals to be audio characteristics (e.g., full cast narration, musically enhanced, sound effects), voice characterization (e.g., distinctly voiced, well-characterized), and voice characteristics (e.g., folksy, husky, comedic, melodious, etc.). I've definitely had experiences where a single narrator has ruined a book for me or absolutely sold a book for me based on the way they voice certain characters, and I've been blown away by how much multiple cast members can enhance a story. Once I was even influenced to read/listen to a book I normally probably wouldn't have simply because I had enjoyed the narrator's voice. With eAudiobooks, it's also nice to have the freedom to alter the speed to one's preferences. 

Ultimately, I think the translation of visual text into an auditory experience is much more of a sensory shift than physical book to eBook, at least in my own experience, so it makes sense to me that there would be more elements to consider. After all, sometimes the genre of an audiobook barely matters at all. Not long ago, a patron approached me asking for any audiobook that was "just a good listen and a story." Having just listened to The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (and been moved to tears multiple times simply because of how pure it was), I recommended that to her for her road trip. She'd never read any science fiction before, but she was more than willing to give the audiobook a try after I described how powerful and moving it was getting to know the Wayfarer's crew and enmesh myself in their fascinating world. This affirming experience proved to me how crucial it is to consider audiobooks as their own form, not merely as recorded text or a companion to an existing novel. Moving forward, knowing the appeal factors that make audiobooks distinct from physical book/eBook appeals will probably be super helpful.