VietNamNet Bridge – Kim Dong Publishing House's new e-book library is expected to lead to an explosion of similar online sites.

Books to go: In Viet Nam, computer and mobile phone stores will copy thousands of books for free and install them on customers' computers, laptops, phones or tablets.

Kim Dong's e-book library, the third publishing house involved in such a venture, however, differs from two other online sites, the "super-cheap" e-book library of Nha Xuat Ban Tre (Youth Publishing House) and the e-book trial library of Nha xuat ban Tong hop Thanh Pho (HCM City General Publishing House)

Kim Dong not only has a more diverse collection but also uses the Greelane app that allows readers to scroll up and down rather than turn the pages like an actual book.

"Greelane places an emphasis on design in mobile apps and products, which is a growing trend in Viet Nam," according to website.

However, the strongest point of the Kim Dong e-library is its leasing policy. Readers who pay a VND40,000 monthly fee to have the right to read any book in the library.

This is in contrast to other e-book libraries which ask readers to pay for every e-book they choose to read.

Kim Dong's e-book library has around 60 titles and is expected to have an additional 400 after one year.

Its leasing policy is expected to appeal to children as it caters to their limited attention span, and they can move to other works if they are bored. In addition, parents will not have to spend much money on books.

However, even though Kim Dong will update its 400 book titles every year, that is small compared to a normal book fair. For example, 4,500 book titles were offered at a small summer book fair in Ha Noi.

Computer and mobile phone stores will also copy thousands of books for free and install them in customers' computers, laptops, phones or tablets.

Dong Phuoc Vinh, director of Ybook (part of the Youth Publishing House), said it was difficult to digitalise actual books.

SGGP/VNN