I've been selling books for over 40 years now.0:05
I left school when I was 16 and got a job as a sales assistant in a bookshop.0:08
I worked there for five years and I really enjoyed it.0:13
When the owner wanted to retire, I decided to take a risk and buy the business for myself.0:17
It was difficult at the beginning when I was paying back the bank loan I had to take out, but on the whole, I can't complain.0:22
It's been good during those years.0:28
There've been so many changes.0:30
The one thing I thought would never change, though, is the bookseller's trade.0:33
I have to admit I was wrong.0:36
We used to have one of those card catalogue systems for orders, but now all that's done by computers for keeping up to date with all the latest releases.0:39
The Internet is invaluable.0:47
My family said I'd never get the hang of it, but it wasn't difficult at all, and I'm a bit of an expert now.0:49
About 10 years ago, I had a coffee bar built at the back of the shop with comfy leather chairs, and that really increased business.0:55
Sales almost doubled overnight.1:02
There's something about the smell of coffee that puts people in a good mood, and if they're relaxed enough, they might even be fooled into believing that they're back at home in front of the fire and looking for a1:04
It's a really great atmosphere and people use it as a meeting place at the end of a long, hard day at the office.1:16
And as I said, business improved.1:22
The latest thing to come along, though, might prove to be the end of my little bookshop.1:26
Now, the ebook is a totally different way of reading, in that you don't need books.1:31
It's an electronic book.1:35
You pay a fee, download a book from a website, and the pages appear on a small screen on the device, which is like a large mobile phone.1:37
But all that's no different from a paperback, isn't it?1:45
The only real advantage I can see is that it can hold hundreds, perhaps thousands of books.1:48
And to be honest, is all that choice necessary?1:53
On a bad day, I can't choose between my black shoes and my brown ones, let alone a thousand books.1:56
Whenever we hear about something new, it always seems as though it's perfect.2:02
Ebooks can show animation and film clips, so they're just like a storybook with pictures.2:07
They have their own lights so you can read them.2:12
When it's dark, there's a memory, so you don't need a bookmark and it'll open at the last page you were reading.2:13
But these are solutions to problems we didn't know we had I haven't heard anyone complaining about traditional books.2:19
I keep reading in the newspapers that sales of CDs have really fallen since people started downloading music from the Internet.2:27
I just hope that doesn't happen to my shop.2:33
The future's not all black though.2:36
I chat to the customers who come for a quiet coffee and a read and they say that this kind of gadget will never completely replace the traditional paperback.2:38
All new technology has its drawbacks.2:46
The E book device is heavier than a small paperback and needs a power source.2:49
And let's not forget that it can be stolen like mobile phones.2:53
In the end, it's not up to me, it's up to the customers.2:57
I've heard ebooks are very popular in Japan, but I have no idea if they'll be successful here or not.3:00
I suppose if the public like E books, then the dog eared paperback may end up like vinyl records, videocassettes and last year's games console at the rubbish dump.3:07
I'm almost at retirement age.3:16
Anyone want to buy a bookshop.3:19
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