BTN: The future of the book

NATHAN BAZLEY:

Over the years, the way we entertain ourselves has changed heaps. Think about it — we've gone from silent films to DVDs and from records to CDs and now MP3s. But through all those changes, one thing's stayed more or less the same — the book. Sure, they look a bit different than they used to, but at the end of the day, it's still the same old stack of bound paper which your grandma and great-grandma would have read. But all that might be about to change. Here's Sarah.

SARAH LARSEN:

Books play a big part in our lives. They teach us, they make us laugh and inspire us. So can you imagine a world where books started to disappear? We're on the edge of a book revolution, and there may come a time when all the books you see here can be read on a screen.

ETHAN:

Ebooks are an electronic book which you can read on the computer or on a phone like the iPhone.

SARAH LARSEN:

It's not a new idea. Way back in the '70s, the Gutenberg Project asked volunteers to type up books so they could be read on computers. It's still going and now there are lots more places to get free, legal electronic books. And you don't have to read them on a computer. A lot of phones and gaming consoles can be used for ebooks. Some schools are even getting into them.

TIA:

This is the Macmillan Digital Library. Sometimes the teacher will flick through and show us through it. You can click on words and they'll tell you what they mean.

SARAH LARSEN:

But one of the biggest changes to the way we read could come from these. They're called 'ereaders'. And they're machines specifically designed for reading and storing ebooks. Amazon brought out the Kindle in 2007, and it's got fans of all ages.

WOMAN:

I've got a phone which has a camera on it. I forget and I never even use the camera. I don't know how to Skype, I don't know how to blog. (Laughs) And once I found what I could do with this Kindle, then I couldn't put it down. See what it does?

GIRL:

Oh!

SARAH LARSEN:

Another ereader that's had a lot of attention this year is the Apple iPad.

STEVE JOBS:

Tap on it and buy this book and the book downloads right onto my bookshelf.

SARAH LARSEN:

Newspapers and magazines have jumped on it, coming up with iPad editions. Book publishers are also getting in on the action, although some of them have been a bit worried about what ereaders will do to their business. There are questions about how much a digital book should cost and whether it'll be enough for publishers and authors to make money. Then there's the threat of internet pirates ripping them off. As for libraries, some are already getting into digital books. Library members can borrow ebooks from their home computer and when the loan time's up, it just disappears from your screen.

WOMAN:

There are no late fees, there are no overdue books. Digital libraries are open 24-7.

SARAH LARSEN:

But not everyone's convinced. Harry Potter author JK Rowling has said she won't be bringing out electronic versions of her books, and, for some readers, ebooks just aren't the same.

BOY:

I like ebooks a lot and they're very useful, but, the thing is, not everyone can use that technology.

GIRL:

If I had an ebook, I'd get worried that I'd drop it in the bath or something.

GIRL 2:

I think ebooks are smart and all that, but I do like having something like the book there.

BOY 2:

I think ebooks are a pretty good idea, except I still like normal books better.

SARAH LARSEN:

So even though it might get more high-tech, it looks like the school library will be around for a while.