Topic of the Week: E-Books and Digital Readers June 29, 2009

Digital books and publications are changing the publishing industry. Electronic gadgets like the Sony Reader and the Amazon Kindle are the Model Ts of a new frontier in publishing. Light, powerful, and easy on the eyes, digital readers are lean, green reading machines.

Many readers are resistant to the change, citing a fondness for the touch and feel of paper-bound books,  the weight of books in their lap, the smell of new or old pages, and the beauty of words designed on a page.

The publishing industry is going through tremendous changes, some a result of the current global economic crisis, others determined by stronger government regulations for sustanable green practices. Will digital books save or sink the publishing industry?

We will have open discussion on Monday and Tuesday about e-books and how they fit or falter. Although LitChat is an international discussion platform, we are based in the USA and will be taking July 3rd off for a much-needed three-day weekend celebrating American Independence Day.