E-books replace hard copies

Dymocks franchise owner Ted Dobbs believes hard copy books will always play a part in the life of his customers.

DAVE NOONAN

Related links

• OMG! Online abbreviations make Oxford

IF YOU’RE looking for the latest edition of the Oxford English Dictionary on a bookshelf, expect to be disappointed.

For the first time in history, the dictionary will only be available online.

It is a move that surprises Dymocks franchise owner Ted Dobbs.

“I don’t think the concept of the e-book will catch on locally,” Mr Dobbs said.

“People want to select a book in a retail environment.

“They might find out about the book on the internet, but they really want to put their hands on it before they buy it.”

E-book — short for electronic book — is a portable electronic device used to download and read books or magazines that are in digital format.

The technology trend is growing in the United States with online book retailer Amazon recording more sales of e-books than regular books last month.

“I know four or five of our customers have bought e-books and have quite liked them,” Debbie Hogan of A Novel Experience book exchange said.

“But they still continue to buy books of some authors.

“A lot of younger customers enjoy buying author collections.

“I don’t think that will change.

“People like the smell and feel of a book — it’s something that they can sit on a bookshelf.”