Because of libraries, it is generally easier to access books for free than other media. Now with Libby, you can essentially "stream" books for free. And there are sites like Scribd that give you a large library of modern books for a subscription fee. So I think books have gotten cheaper overall, but a lot of book readers are "purists" for physical books and adding to their own personal library (which I think is especially promoted through booktube and booktok), which at this point has to be considered a luxury hobby similar to owning a vinal collection