Why I Won't Buy an eReader

These are the top five reasons why I won't buy an eReader - at least not any time soon.

1. Money, Money, Money - First you buy the eReader, then you buy the accessories, and then you still buy the BOOKS?  The average Kindle book appears to cost about $9.99 on Amazon.com.  If I'm thrifty (and I am) I can get paperbacks for less than that.  Actually, I can get used books for $0.50 or $1.00 at the library.  But the thing is, I rarely buy books.  My grandmother lends them to me by the stack and when there's a specific title I want to read, I head to the library.  I can borrow almost any title I want - for free.
   
   
2. Technology Turnover - As with any piece of equipment in the early stages, development is rapid and new versions come out all the time.  This is one item I'm not willing to be an early adopter of.
   
   
3. Single Use - Other than the iPad, most eReaders are single-use electronic items, meaning that they are used to read books and periodicals and that's all, folks.  I have realized lately that I have too many small electronics - cell phone, two iPods, two digital cameras, video camera, GPS, laptop, etc. hanging around.  Toting them around with their respective cords, adapters, and cases is a hassle when traveling.  Do I want to add another to the bunch?  Not really...
   
   
4. Reading as Therapy - This may sound strange, but I read to relax and calm down.  Most often I read before bed, not because it's the only time I have, but because it helps me unwind and fall asleep.  I enjoy absently flipping the pages with my hand.  Observing the pages you've read pile up on the left-hand side of the book provides a feeling of accomplishment.  I enjoy sniffing the pages of an older book.  (I like the way a library smells too - call me crazy!)  Unless an eReader comes with "old book smell", like that "new car smell" spray you can buy, it's not for me.
   
   
5. eReader Lending? - I touched on this back in point #1.  Most of the books I read are borrwed.  Sometimes I borrow a book more than once; these are usually business-related or fiction that I want to read again.  (The only books I own are ones I read a million times, like Harry Potter or The Devil Wears Prada, or equine references.)  Could eReaders set up a lending system where after you finish reading a book, it disappears from your eReader?  If a flat fee to access to books in this manner were available, I might consider it.  Philip Berne mentions something similar in "How to Save the E-Reader" on SlashGear.

Image Credit:
Green Baby Guide.  http://greenbabyguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/library-books-300x224.jpg