Authentic e-books – Supply cannot meet demand.

Nowadays, more and more readers prefer reading ebooks on e-readers due to their portability. However, for various reasons, many young people are forced to turn to unofficial sources of books to meet their needs.

Many people choose to download pirated ebooks because they cannot find the official version. (Photo by Hoang Son)

Finding authentic ebooks is still difficult.

Many readers, especially young readers, share that they now choose to read e-books instead of paper books because of the convenience of carrying them around and the lower cost of using them. This is especially true given the current diverse market of e-readers, catering to readers of all ages. E-ink screens offer an experience very similar to reading on paper, reducing eye strain and allowing for extended use. Furthermore, these devices are increasingly designed to be compact and convenient, with some even offering color displays, meeting a wide range of user needs.

Ms. Thanh Dung ( from Thanh Hoa ) shared: “I own a Kindle for reading e-books. With just one device, I can read many different books. I can read my favorite books anytime, anywhere without having to carry around heavy paper books.”

Nevertheless, many readers report encountering some difficulty in finding e-book files, especially newly released books and stories, or popular titles on websites or online bookstores of publishers, distributors, or bookshops.

Experience the ebook products. (Photo: Tuyet Loan)

As an avid reader, Ngoc Hue ( from Hung Yen ) said: “I’ve been reading e-books for 3 years. I really enjoy reading ebooks, but it’s not always easy to find the books I like, especially from official sources like publishers and bookstores, particularly for new books or ‘hot search’ titles. For example, the book 'The Silk Road – A Thousand Miles from Pakistan to Xi’an' published by Lao Dong Publishing House, I searched online but couldn’t find an electronic version from the publishers or other official sources. Similarly, for the book 'The Islamic Road' by Nguyen Phuong Mai, I can find ebook files from sharing groups, but there’s no official version available.”

In reality, when searching for a book title using keywords like "epub" or "ebook," the results usually come from aggregation websites or groups that share e-book files, rather than from publishers or book distributors.

Sharing the same viewpoint as Hue, Thuy Dung (Thanh Hoa) added: “Some specialized ebooks can be found on the platform of the National Political Publishing House, but there aren't many. I want to read more literary works from Nha Nam or Tre Publishing House, but not all of them have official ebooks.”

The majority of search results come from unofficial ebook sharing websites (Photo: Hong Nhung)

Readers seek out "unique paths" despite their shortcomings.

In this context, many readers have gradually developed their own "path," which is to seek out unofficial ebook sources to satisfy their reading needs.

Minh Dung, an e-reader user in Hanoi, said he frequently reads using this method. “The administrators of these groups usually have a comprehensive collection of their books, sometimes free, and sometimes requiring a fee of around 200,000 VND to access their library. Websites are harder to find these days, but there are still one or two large websites that offer free Vietnamese ebooks,” Minh Dung shared.

Speaking about her experience of having to rely on unofficial sources of books, Ms. Lan Huong (Hanoi) said: “My child and I both love reading. Previously, we spent a considerable amount of money each month on books, compared to my income. Therefore, we switched to reading ebooks, which are more affordable. However, I also encountered some difficulties finding ebook versions of new and popular books, so I searched through book-sharing groups and bought, or even downloaded, free ebooks. I know that reading from unofficial sources is detrimental to the publishing industry, but as someone who loves books but doesn't have the means to indulge this passion, I had no choice but to turn to ebooks and books shared in online groups.”

Clearly, for many objective and subjective reasons, readers are turning to unofficial ebook sources as a way to satisfy their thirst for books. However, readers may also face considerable risks when using these sources.

A social media account expressed concern about ebook copyright issues.

Having to resort to unofficial ebook sources, readers like Ms. Huong, Mr. Dung, Ms. Dung, and others inevitably have concerns about the risks and drawbacks involved in using them.

Besides worrying about copyright issues, Minh Dung also shared many drawbacks of using unofficial ebook versions: "The quality of ebooks from these groups is inconsistent, depending on the uploader. Some files are good, but others are faulty or poorly formatted. I often have to download many versions to choose from, which is very time-consuming, and sometimes I can't even find one I like."

Willing to pay if there is a better option.

Clearly, the quality of books has left many avid readers feeling somewhat unsatisfied. Therefore, while resorting to pirated books may seem like a temporary solution to the lack of official ebooks, many readers assert that they are willing to pay more for higher-quality products.

With that perspective, Bao Chau (Ho Chi Minh City) expressed her willingness to pay for access to authentic ebooks with guaranteed quality in both content and format. “I also pay monthly for movie and music streaming apps. Many of my friends are also willing to pay for paid content, as long as it's high-quality and meets their needs, and ebooks are no exception,” Bao Chau affirmed.

Indeed, the demand for mainstream ebooks is real, and even increasingly evident. Many readers want publishers and distributors to expand the supply of ebooks, especially with new and valuable titles.

“I understand that, due to reasons like selling physical books or copyright issues, many new and popular books aren't digitized and sold. But I hope that in the future I can easily find and buy such e-books at a reasonable price. I see that in many countries, physical books and e-books are published simultaneously and both find suitable readers. I believe that the Vietnamese book market will be able to do the same in the future,” Minh Dung expressed his hope.

Meanwhile, Thuy Dung hopes that Vietnam will have an ebook distribution platform similar to Amazon, offering flexible service packages that suit modern reading habits.

Hong Nhung

Source: https://nhandan.vn/sach-dien-tu-chinh-thong-cung-khong-dap-ung-cau-post960865.html