eBooks
This is a new phenomenon in publishing and there seems to be a raging battle over whether eBooks are a viable direction. It seems to me that much of the debate seems to wander into whether people like the idea of eBooks, rather than whether it's a good idea for a publisher to offer books in eBook format. These are two totally seperate questions.
Why not?
I have to ask, why would you not offer your books as ebooks? If you have a book to offer, and you've already gone to the trouble to edit, produce, and market it, it seems like offering it in electronic format should be a piece of cake. People may hold an opinion about whether an eBook reader is something something to invest in; but clearly, a lot of people have already invested in them. If you are in the business of selling books, why wouldn't you want to avail yourself of that market?
At the same time, I doubt very much whether traditional books are going to disappear any time soon. So, it seems to me that you have an opportunity to sell more copies by making your books available in multiple formats. At this point, I have to declare my my ignorance; (I am not a publisher) but, I'll also do my best to share meaningful research here.
Comparisons
I recently met a man on a flight to North Carolina. He settled himself in, and pulled out his Kindle. I asked him how he liked it. He told me that it was a gift, but that he used it much more than he thought he would. It looked very convenient! Easy to pull out and to hold in the space of an airplane seat. He mentioned that he liked the ability to read sample chapters for several different books. I know that you can also download a variety of periodicals on Kindle or Sony readers. It certainly seems more convenient than carrying around the NY Times!
For those still debating whether to go the traditional or eBook route for a gift, here's a good comparison article:
eBooks vs. Books - a Publishing Smackdown
How to move ahead
I know that Amazon.com offers services to convert your books to Kindle format. I believe that both the Sony and Amazon readers will present PDF documents.
Check back. I'll be adding some details on how to convert your books to eBook format.