Bătălia mediilor: hârtie, e-book, a-book.

The invention of the printing press in the 15th century revolutionized the way books were produced, making access to learning possible for anyone. In the 19th century, the library became an essential part of psychiatric institutions. Bibliotherapy is developed, which uses books to help people overcome certain problems. The reality offered by digital technology has opened a new era in the history of reading, fundamentally changing the way we read. The progress in communication technology in the 20th century leads to the emergence of the electronic book, thus information is made available online to the reader in a huge virtual library. Augmented reality is discovered, which manages to combine the two mediums, traditional and online, this being an interactive version of a real-world environment, achieved through digital visual elements, using holographic technology. Thanks to the images that come to life, involving more senses, the reader can reach a better understanding of the content. When access and availability are considered priorities, there is no doubt that electronic books are preferred, even though they cause fatigue and eye irritation. The physical book, on the other hand, is remarkably durable, does not need power or internet, can be edited in several editions, and continues to be valuable. In recent years, the demand for paper copies has become increasingly high, generating more than 150 billion dollars in revenue. Thus we ask ourselves the question regarding the survival of the printed book. The answer is, perhaps, surprising, but in an age of digital saturation, the traditional book has made a spectacular comeback in recent years, remaining, it seems, the preferred reading medium of true bibliomaniacs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]