Earlier this week, the Northridge Borders book store closed its doors. The company filed for bankruptcy after losing profits and competing with e-readers, such as the Kindle and iPad.

With technology changing so much, it is good that books are becoming available in a digital format, but books will always exist in a physical form.

Feeling a textbook, reading old writing or even the smell of a hard-bound book is something that can never be replaced.

“For me, I still prefer the textbooks, even though they are more expensive, because I don’t really like using the touch screen to read articles and books,” said 18-year-old freshmen political science major Paula Newman. “I rather just have the book right in front of me so I can highlight, turn the page and so on.”

The transition from paper to digital books has been a process that has taken many years and a lot of digital process to make happen.

“When it comes to the question of if the digital books are here to stay, I would say so, because everything these days are headed into an age where everything will be electronic of some kind, and people will have to get use to it,” said 21-year-old business management senior Antwon Jackson.

In the world, there will always be new developments — from digital readers to HD televisions, and so much more. While the sales of books are on a sharp decline, there are still enough bookstores left that I do not think that paperbacks will be going extinct any time soon.