The eBook craze which once gripped the nation is on the out, with Wagga residents giving them a big thumbs down.
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A Collins Booksellers staff member of 20 years said less than five people asked for an eBook in store in the past year.
“The craze lasted a couple of years,” Elizabeth Pettigrew said.
“It was new, it was novel and people wanted to try it out.
“Customers tell me they love the feel, they love the smell and they love the interaction of a real book.
“They like to share it around and talk about it. I guess it is harder to do that with an e-Book, it is missing that sensation.
“It is a nostalgia thing.”
Wagga library manager Claire Campbell said eBooks are losing traction with readers.
“It is interesting that while eBooks are still being loaned, they have started to plateau, while physical books continue to hold their space and tend to grow,” she said.
Wagga resident Macey Phegan said she loves flipping the pages of a regular book.
“I have tried reading textbooks on an eBook but nothing beats touching and smelling and looking at a real book,” Ms Phegan said.
Ms Pettigrew said people in Wagga have “gone crazy” with reading in the past year.
“Who would have thought that 20 year olds would be coming in and buying collections of classics?” Ms Pettigrew said.
“The more fancy the cover, the more they want it.
“It is very trendy. Reading is back big time which is a great thing for Wagga.”
Wagga Marketplace retail manager Ally Mullins, one of the key organisers of the Book Nook book exchange station, said they received over 200 book donations since its December opening.
“When we initially put it up on Facebook the response was massive with over 200 likes and 40 comments with people getting excited about it,” Ms Mullins said.
“I had a phone call from one man who reads two books a week and said it was so fantastic for him to keep up his reading at no cost.
“We have been blown away with donations.” People can leave, pick up or donate books from the Book Nook book exchange at any time.