Recently, the 31-year-old private-sector employee drove nearly 100km to Kerteh, Terengganu, just to browse and buy physical books, even though the same titles are now easily available in digital form.
For Aisyah, attending book sales is part of the joy. She told Bernama she doesn’t mind travelling across state borders as long as she can add new titles to her growing home library.
A fan of motivational and self-development reads, she finds printed books far more satisfying, saying they allow her to focus without the distractions that often come with screens.
“Sometimes when you read on a smartphone, notifications interrupt your focus. I prefer holding a book and feeling the paper. Each book carries its own sentimental value,” she said.
Met at the Big Bad Wolf Books sale here, which ran from Jan 29 to Feb 8, Aisyah added that price is rarely a deterrent. Even books that cost hundreds of ringgit are worth it, she said, as long as the content is engaging and contributes to her personal growth.
University student Nur Allisya Natalia Norasidi shares a similar sentiment. Despite growing up in the digital era with constant access to online content, the 22-year-old said her love for physical books remained strong, influenced by her upbringing.
“I grew up with gadgets and the internet, but reading physical books feels more meaningful. It helps me understand the content better,” she said. “Having my own collection is more enjoyable and inspires me to keep reading.”
For Reimi, a 35-year-old mother of two from Japan, physical books are also the preferred choice, especially when reading with her children.
“They’re easier to handle, and my children can choose their own favourite titles,” she said. “With digital books, I have to constantly supervise them, but physical books allow them to read more freely and comfortably.”
Across Malaysia, physical books continue to hold their place in the reading culture, cutting across age groups and backgrounds. For many, the simple pleasure of turning pages remains hard to replace, even in an increasingly digital world.
This enduring preference is reflected in the Reading Profile of Malaysians 2022/2023 study by the National Library, which recorded a positive shift in reading habits.
The study found that Malaysians now read an average of about 24 books a year, a sharp rise from just two books in 2005, signalling a growing appetite for reading in all its forms.