Ebooks only supplement my library and will never replace it... Ebooks have replaced the paperback pulp books in my library, being the more 'disposable' format. Which makes room for more archival paper book formats.
Zelda; I have to disagree, books are not as fragile as most make them out to be. If you have modern living conditions suitable to people those can support books just fine for centuries. (Not acidic-pulp mind you) The average first world house built today is more stable then libraries and museums that housed the materials that are still with us. And recall it was not uncommon to have fireplaces, candles and gas lanterns, and direct sunlight in them (And people smoking
). Most of the damage that destroyed works thru the years were caused by people, either directly or indirectly. When texts fell out of fashion they were moved to 'storage' in dank basements and warehouses where mold and rot took hold. Transportation was also a nasty culprit. If the library or home was not upkept I don't think of that as the fault of the media. I wouldn't trust a person to keep digital media or an electronic device from degrading if they can't manage to keep a book from degrading. And trusting any source or backup service to honour your license/ownership rights a few years down the road is laudible, considering how many times we've seen the laws change, and companies discontinue services over just the past ten years.
-MJ