It sometimes appears as if MP3 players such as iPods have been around forever. Anywhere you go you are bound to observe folks of all ages wearing the ubiquitous white earphones. Because the culture we live in is heading in the direction of digital, downloadable formats, are we likely to see the identical trend occur with books?

Some companies are pushing for wide acceptance of ebooks, such as Amazon with its Kindle or Sony with its Sony Reader. Sales numbers tell us, however, that the overwhelming majority of book sales are still physical, not electronic.

There are reasons why physical books are still preferred over digital books. The feel of holding a book is so special for avid book lovers that they are not prepared to part with that experience just yet. Another reason is that the high cost of these gadgets is a big deterrent and the majority of book lovers are not yet prepared to invest in these devices.

Still, it did take a while for MP3′s to take off as well. Once they did, they REALLY did. If those past trends are any indication, it’s what we can expect this time around as well. Part of the reason for that is because there are so many great benefits that come along with reading via ebook.

One benefit of using ebook readers is their storage capacity. You can store literally hundreds of books titles in the palm of your hand. This by itself makes these devices worthwhile to a lot of folks. Another consideration is that it cuts down on expenses. After you buy the device, you won’t have to spend a bundle if you purchase digital editions of books instead of the old-fashioned paper kind. Another advantage is that rather than having to wait to visit a bookstore, it only takes a couple clicks to get exactly what you’re looking for.

Using an ebook reader stocked with ebooks is also easier to travel with. They are far more useful for business meetings, quick reference in class, and for pulling out when you find that spare minute to read. Every book you need is literally right there at your fingertips instead of back on a bookshelf somewhere where you can’t access them all the time.

Is this enough for most people to make the switch? It probably will be in the future. As more books become available and more advanced (and less expensive) devices make their way onto store shelves you can expect it to become more mainstream. Thought, it’s not exactly like the industry is hurting now! The costs of selling ebooks is insanely low, which benefits companies and consumers.

There will always be those avid readers who will buck the trend because they just can’t say good bye to the nostalgia of reading a physical book. Still, though, once these book lovers come to appreciate the convenience, cost savings, and “cool factor” ebooks readers have to offer, I think they’ll make the switch despite their love of nostalgia.