Cars may not yet be flying, but one staple of classic science fiction comes closer and closer to reality with each passing month. Amazon.com, the world’s largest internet bookstore, is reporting that sales of e-books for its electronic reader Kindle have been steadily outpacing sales of traditional hardbacks. The distance between the sales numbers is growing each month. Last month, for every 100 hardbacks sold on Amazon, 180 Kindle books were sold. What does this trend mean for the future of books as we know them?

Kindle is Amazon’s exclusive e-book product, though many other electronics and bookselling platforms, including Sony and Barnes & Noble, have released similar e-readers. The Kindle is near the size of a printed book page and varies in price from $140 to near $400. Books are downloaded from Amazon, costing less than a hardback but often more than a paperback, depending on the book’s popularity. Kindle applications are also available for the iPhone and other mobile devices. Books are read a page at a time, in a format many consider to be easier on the eyes than a typical computer screen.

Camila Gabaldon is the collection development and science librarian at Western Oregon University’s Hamersly Library, and a Kindle fan.

“I really thought I was going to hate it,” she said. “There was so little visible text on the screen and who likes reading a screen for long periods of time? As it turns out, the subtlety with which flipping through pages is accomplished causes me to not really notice how much text is on any given screen and, as it turns out, a good story is a good story."

Gabaldon reported less eye strain on the Kindle than when she watched a lengthy movie on a television screen. As to how the oncoming technology might affect her career as a librarian, Gabaldon has no worries and is instead excited at the possibilities it may open up for her.

“A key role for librarians, I think, will be to figure out how to make sure that access to the digital medium isn't limited by someone's financial or social circumstances," she said.

Similarly unbothered by the direction the technological wind is blowing is Dina Carter, owner of Independence’s Second Chance Books. The clientele that is attracted to used bookstores may be among the most likely to stay loyal to the printed page. “The Kindle doesn't make me nervous at all as a used bookstore owner. If I owned a new bookstore, that would be a completely different story. Our business has been doing great, and most people seem to still enjoy the feel of an actual book in their hands as well as the smell, etc.”

Carter doesn’t believe the near effortlessness of the acquisition and consumption of e-books is enough to change a true book lover’s stripes. “There is no chance the Kindle will ever replace the book. There are too many books, especially the old ones with interesting illustrations and bindings that will always intrigue people. Plus, the Kindle doesn't look too impressive on a bookshelf. Imagine inviting people over to your house and showing people your book collection: a Kindle on a shelf. Wow, how impressive.”

Gabaldon agrees that not all books will translate well digitally.

“There are some books which are unlikely to be completely replaced by e-books just because of their content or intended use, and there are likely to be some readers who will never like reading on a device," said Gabaldon.

But Gabaldon said that the ability to search within a book or a number of books at one time is more convenient for researching.

There is no denying the coming changes. Books are facing the largest evolution in their existence since the invention of the printing press. If the technological progression is maintained, “real” books may be slated to become like the fine dining china, valued, well appreciated, but not for everyday use.

Gabaldon said, “I think in many instances, digital is already replacing print. This is one of those situations where the writing on the wall is becoming clearer every day and we have the option of embracing the change and running with it, or being run over by it.”

Teaching? There's an app for that. Or at least that's what is being tested in Salem-Keizer schools this year. Salem-based Bookbyte and the Salem-Keizer school district have teamed up on a pilot program that will put iPads into the hands of elementary and high school students to, hopefully, enhance the learning experience.

"As a Salem-based company with a corporate culture that values supporting our community, it was natural for Bookbyte to reach out to our local schools," said Erin Morris, program manager at Bookbyte.

Teachers at the district volunteered for the program, which will bring Apple App Store apps like Dictionary.com's app which will be "useful as students write compositions in the Pages word process app, or create presentations in the Keynote app."

Another example is a ninth grade literature class that will be using free classic books like "Romeo and Juliet" and "The Odyssey" on the iPads.

"By leveraging digital devices, the teacher is able to include a broader range of materials in their curriculum, as the school district would otherwise have to pay for the additional books," said Morris.

Salem-Keizer School District Assistant Superintendent Salam Noor said that the district connected Bookbyte with schools that already use technology in the classroom.

"The benefit is participating in action research that could inform future decisions relative to digital media and its impact in instruction," said Noor.

He said that the district has not made any plans for expansion, but that a successful pilot program will give the district evidence of what works and what does not before investing district resources.

Bookbyte will be looking at several areas: iPad usage, the learning experience, and increased teacher productivity. They'll do that by gathering feedback from students and teachers and evaluating test scores.

"As part of the pilot we will be working with Salem-Keizer to evaluate the programs and determine cost savings and increased productivity for teachers. We will work with interested districts to provide guidance on specific costs associated with integrating a similar program in their schools," said Morris.

Bookbyte is providing all of the technical support, training, and equipment at no cost to the district. Morris said that they would welcome an opportunity to work with both home school programs and private schools in the future.