E-book 'will not threaten paperback'

The traditional paper book is not in danger of being killed off by an electronic gadget, the British Library said.

Sony will launch an electronic book in Waterstone's stores across the country on Thursday.

The £199 slimline Sony Reader can hold up to 160 electronic books and the capacity can be increased using memory cards.

But Stephen Bury, head of European and American collections at the British Library, said the book lover and pleasure reader would not give up the traditional paper book for an electronic gadget.

He said: "How can you guarantee you are going to have access to the books on the Sony Reader in five or 10 years' time. If you've got a library of 100 hard copy books it's hard to lose them.

"We have books at the British Library that have been annotated by the authors or by famous people and people are still going to want to experience that."

Helen Fraser, managing director of Penguin, said the Sony Reader would compliment the paper book but did not threaten its existence.

She said: "If you're travelling and you want to take 20 or 30 books with you then the e-book will be really useful. It will appeal to younger readers who are used to doing things electronically.

"A traditional book you can drop in the bath, leave in the sand, kick across the room, lend to 20 friends and it will still be alive. It's indestructible.

"The two will lie alongside each other. Ultimately it's not the form that matters. It's the readers and writers meeting in a space."

Source :The Press Association