Cartacei

Cartacei is the Italian term used to describe materials, publications or documents that are produced on paper rather than in digital form. The word derives from carta, meaning paper, with the suffix -aceo, and it functions as both an adjective and a noun in ordinary usage.

In publishing and libraries, cartacei refers to the printed edition of a work, such as libri cartacei (paper books), riviste cartacee (print journals) and quotidiani cartacei (newspapers). The opposite forms are edizioni digitali or pubblicazioni digitali, used to denote digital or online formats. The term is common in contracts, cataloging, and policy discussions to specify the form of a product or document.

Advantages of cartacei include legibility without electronic devices, ease of handling and annotating for many readers, and straightforward long-term preservation when properly curated. Limitations include space requirements, susceptibility to wear, higher production and distribution costs, and environmental concerns related to paper production and printing. Digital formats offer benefits such as searchability, rapid distribution, and lower marginal costs, which has driven a gradual shift toward online content in many sectors. Nonetheless, cartacei continue to play a significant role in education, publishing, and journalism.

Recent trends show a hybrid approach in which print-on-demand and sustainable paper sourcing help reduce waste, and libraries balance digitization with the preservation of physical collections. Publishers often maintain parallel cartacei and digital editions to reach different audiences and preferences.