University of Otago media, film and communications senior lecturer Dr Erika Pearson and department of applied sciences systems manager Grant Baxter talk about the future of the book at the inaugural Centre for the Book symposium "The Book: A life cycle" at Hutton Theatre yesterday.
Dr Pearson said there were many positives to eBook reading such as portability and wide title access but negatives included cost and certain title restrictions.
EBook readers also lacked the great smell of an actual book, the experience of turning a page or the feel of browsing library shelves.
Mr Baxter said eBook readers should not be about re-creating the experience of a book. Instead, they should be about extending the interaction: "what can I do that a book can't".
Suggestions were that eBooks might modify the use of books but not replace them, as television had done for radio.
Dr Pearson said for her, eBooks were great for light reading but she still invested in technical and "coffee table" books. Mr Baxter said his technical reading was done via computer but he enjoyed picking up fiction in real books.
The third panel member, university librarian Howard Amos, was absent due to illness.
The day symposium included talks on reading and publishing, research potential in print culture and the life cycle of the book.