There's nothing new about the debate surrounding the future of the book. Pundits argue that books will disappear as pixilated screens and monitors replace printed texts and card catalogs. Others say that digital books will never replace the look and feel of the printed page. Now researchers conducting a new study hope to introduce empirical evidence into the emotional debate over publishing's future by examining what digital books are and how people use them. Until now, neither side has had substantive data to back their arguments.
Researchers hope to gain insight into how digital texts impact teaching, research, and learning.
They also want to determine whether digital books will replace or supplement printed texts. Penn community members can download the digital replicas of printed books for free through the digital library website . Others can sample a selection of three works through the public site . The site already hosts over 70 complete digital replicas, and expects to grow at a rate of 300 to 400 titles per year. With hyperlinks and dynamic search capabilities, electronic books may widen readership and potentially provide more use than physical books, Barry said.