How will the e-book library appear and function?

"Books do furnish a room" ~ Anthony Powell (English Writer, 1905-2000)

With some big publishers predicting that 25-30% of their sales will be e-books before too long, this is a question that librarians everywhere must be pondering. It is not clear whether this figure consists of new releases, backlist or both, but if books are not going to be physical objects anymore the question arises - will we still need shelves?

One way to turn computer files into physical objects is to burn them onto a CD-ROM. A CD box then becomes a shelvable object. However, this can not be done with all e-books currently on the market. For example, those who buy them with Amazon's Kindle are unable to do anything with them other than store them on their Kindle. And if that is rendered kaput for any reason, tough.

The e-books that we have made available are pdf files at the same format as the original print edition - and we only make them available when the print edition has sold out and a decision has been made not to reprint it. We also supply a square version of the cover art so they can print out a piece of paper for a CD box. At this stage we are unlikely to change this method.

Will library browsers of the future be able to download the file onto their Wi-fi laptops from the library's intranet? Or just borrow a CD? The first has copyright implications, although so does the second. One major problem that publishers of electronic media - videos, DVDs, CD, computer software - have always faced is piracy. The issue arises less with a book because the cost of running the book through a photocopier and binding it is usually about the same as buying a copy of the book and with a book that contains a lot of colour photos the cost will likely be higher.

The issue is complex and another aspect of it is those who like to have have tangible objects which form part of a household's furnishings. Once a paperbook book has been read it tends to look it. But a high quality hardback book like we produce if handled properly will keep on looking good in a varnished wood bookcase, when it is taken out to be read, and even better sitting on a coffee table. It does not require electricity to operate, boot up time, file opening time and search keys.

But of course the economics of ever smaller print runs weigh in too, and if people are going to buy e-books in preference to print editions then publishers will eventually have little choice but to go with the flow.