Books in bloom(2)

More people visited the recently-ended Shanghai Book Fair than in previous editions.Gao Erqiang/Shanghai Star

Some writers, such as Milan Kundera, are against digital publications, refusing to accept them as proper books. Some even compare digital publishing to piracy.

While traditional publishers have been exploring opportunities in the digital world, Internet content has been leaping off the screen and onto the printed page.

Guokr.com, China's most popular science website and online community, has participated in the Shanghai Book Fair for two consecutive years. More than 90 books have been published under the Guokr brand.

"We want to transcribe some of the best content on our website to print," says Summer Wang from Guokr's marketing and digital rights department.

The advantage of Guokr as a publisher is that they have an "Internet way of thinking", says Wang.

"We publish digital and print editions at the same time, and we promote our products on our website."

The most popular books from Guokr, such as Truth about Food and The Rumor Mill, have sold almost 100,000 copies, Wang says.

Both books are collections of popular articles from the Guokr website.

Reading on paper and on an electronic device are two different experiences, and the director of STPH and the young editors at Guokr agree that people who read digital books are unlikely to return to traditional books. But judging from the attendance at the Shanghai Book Fair, there is one group that will continue to grow — people who just love to read.

Readers prefer a book in hand

Printed books are favored by readers, with more people choosing to pick up a real book than read a digital copy, a recent survey has found.

The poll found that more people prefer to read printed than digital books compared to last year.

Shanghai Press and Publication Bureau conducted the annual survey on reading habits to determine people's interests, consumption and trends in reading.

The survey, now in its fourth year, found that more than 44.6 percent of respondents prefer printed books, while 33 percent favor e-books.

About 70 percent of respondents believe printed books are a quicker and more effective way to read, while only 28.65 percent say the same about e-books.

The survey showed that people are willing to spend more on printed books this year than they were in 2013.

Mobile phones are the top choice as a medium for digital reading, continuing a trend seen over the last three years.

E-book readers enjoy a wider range of sources and greater convenience in obtaining and searching for books.

E-books are also cheaper and sometimes free. However, e-book users encounter problems of their own, such as an information overload and difficulty in selecting what to read. About 23 percent of respondents say they suffer from visual fatigue.

Nearly 60 percent of respondents only read free digital works, while about 15 percent are only willing to spend up to 20 yuan on e-books.