Are printed books worth the effort?

I think it depends on the kind of a book. Certainly a DYI or how-to book, anything that might be updated, is ideal for digital format. If it's a piece of history or an intimate non-fiction, I think that's more of a tactile experience and a hard book, analogue format, is called for (in addition to a digital format).

You need both. The book becomes your new business card.

I'm traditional enough that I want my books to be in print and in digital form. The books are worth the effort simply because I enjoy writing them. I lose money on them, and I'm delighted if I learn of someone reading one of my books.

I know  authors who do YA novels and only do digital formation and are very successful.

I also know many authors who have their books published as paperbacks and digital and without a "name" they are tougher to sell. Most indie publishers don't have the staff or money to promote an Indie book. There are exceptions.

Good luck

I absolutely love the feel of a real book in my hands. For me it's a more satisfying experience - there's the artistry of the book cover, the grade of paper used, the font, the dimensions of the volume, even (sometimes) the aroma of the ink, inscriptions . . . I could go on. No comparison with digital books, in my opinion. 

Yes. Real books have an authentic presence whether they are sitting on your night table, in your book shelves, or in your hands. They even have a smell. The convenience of taking a book anywhere you go without any need for batteries, a device, etc. still can't be beat. Digital books are OK when traveling and you're a voracious reader, but they have no permanence. I doubt many people will keep a digital book whereas favorite books can remain in people's shelves, passed on to family and friends while their visual presence remind readers of the experience of reading them. Finally, I can't have a digital book signing at a bookstore and both author and readers miss that face to face connection that is irreplaceable. 

Yes! I write non-fiction books that have exercises in them. A printed book enables the reader to write right in the book, if desired. It's also a good idea to have books to sign, to offer as giveaways, or to donate. Like Kathy Wheeler said, with the print-on-demand option, you don't have to keep a whole garage full. You can just print what and when you need.

I know a lot of readers still want the palpable paperback (or hardback) in their hands. It's not only something to put on their shelf and pick up easily whenever they want; it's something to show or show off, and, yes, you can scribble in it, entering more easily into a dialogue with the writer. (Sure, you can highlight and even take notes in an ebook, but I wonder how many readers do?) As I writer, yes, I'd like to have both ebook and paperback available. Let the buyer make the choice. And I like having the paperback on my shelf too or as a gift for friends and family.

Amazon excels at selling digital e-books, but paperbacks tend to lag. Having a book in hand still appeals to a certain segment of readers, so having the versatility to offer a different version works to the author's benefit. Plus, the author can have a supply of paperbacks on hand to sell at local appearances, for book club features, etc. For these reasons, I believe printed books are worth the effort. Also, if you ever have the opportunity to work with a mass market distributor like Choice Books, having paperbacks is requisite to fill their racks. 

Printed books are absolutely worth it, at least for me. Mileage may vary.

So here's the details. I'm a traditionally published author, through a small press. My online sales of ebooks are decent, but nothing fantastic--I'm certainly not going to quit my day job on the basis of those royalties...

 I write swashbuckling fantasy/romance (what you'd get if P.G. Wodehouse and The Princess Bride had a baby...) and there's a LOT of fantasy out there on the market. So it's hard to get noticed amongst all the signal noise. But--because of my genre, I have the capability to tap into a live, targeted audience. I attend Renaissance Faires around the New York/New England area, and sell directly to readers who would potentially like what I write. I stand in front of my booth and chat to every single person who walks by, trying to get a book into their hands. And it works. On a good weekend, I can sell 60 - 80 copies, and that was when I only had two books out. This year my third was released, just in time for Faire season to be cancelled because of The Plague. But I'd anticipated selling over 100 books in a weekend with three... 

So for me, yes, paperbacks are definitely worth it. People seem to love having an autographed and personalized copy, either for their own shelves or to give as a gift. I also sell autographed copies through my website, and the holidays are coming up, so I'll be marketing them heavily as gifts.

Do I make any money off this? Not really, but I at least break even (those Ren Faires aren't cheap, between vendor fees and travel expenses). But to me, it's not about the money--it's about getting books out to readers. And paperbacks are, for me, an excellent way to do so.