EReader Owners Read More; Amazon, Apple, and Sony Rejoice

A study reported on today by the Wall Street Journal says that 40 percent of 1,200 eReader owners read more now than they did with print books. That’s good news for eReader makers, as is the fact that sales have increased 183 percent from 2009 and that Amazon reports that eBook sales surpassed hard cover sales recently. Sadly, 2 percent of study respondents said they read less than before, and 58% said they read the same. The study by Marketing and Research Resources Inc.  included Kindle, iPad, and Sony Reader owners.

These numbers are in stark contrast to a 2007 study by the National Endowment for the Arts that said half of Americans between 18 and 24 read no books for pleasure. That study found that those who did read were more likely than non-readers to engage in “positive civic and individual activities, such as volunteering, attending sports or cultural events, and exercising.”