I wasn’t even sure what an “eReader” was a few years ago when I first saw someone using one at an airport. It wasn’t a laptop, it wasn’t a phone, and it certainly didn’t look like the paperback book that I had just purchased.

Now, eReaders are commonplace and go by a number of different names – including Kindle, Nook, iPad, and of course, the more simple aliases of tablets or smart phones that act as readers.

The other day, I read that about 11 million Americans are expected to own at least one digital reading gadget by the end of September 2011 (this month). Even more amazingly, it has been reported that U.S. eBook sales grew 183% in the first half of this year compared with the same period a year earlier.

But is it enhancing our reading habits? Are we getting any smarter at all? Well, I’m not sure about this last question. I do know that preliminary research shows that eBooks aren't replacing old book reading habits – only enhancing.  People who buy eReaders tend to spend more time than ever with their noses in a good book.

Amazon, the largest eBook seller, says its customers buy 3.3 times as many books after buying a Kindle, a figure that has grown in the past year as prices for the device have steadily fallen.

I’m an avid reader, as are many other CEOs and those in the supply chain field. So, I was excited this year when Tompkins Press decided to take our publications a few steps further into the digital world.

If you’re interested in a complete “supply chain library” available in eBook format, it can be found here. You can also download a few complimentary chapters and register to win a free Kindle.

Are you using an eReader these days? If so, has it affected your reading habits?

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