Education and Science, Latvia, Markets and Companies, Technology

The e-book is similar to a small laptop and also has some of the functions of a computer: apart from reading books, the e-book user can also read "Word" documents, watch pictures and use a dictionary, as well as listen to music.

Representatives of Valters un Rapa bookstores do not see the new device as a threat to the traditional printed books. "E-book is a perfect solution for students: they can upload all the text books they need for their studies in one small device; businesspeople in turn, thanks to the e-book, do not have to carry around piles of printed documents or a laptop with them," project manager at Valters un Rapa Dainis Ruduss explained.

Member of Valters un Rapa board Iveta Ozola admits that so far not many books in Latvian are available in digital format for uploading in the e-book, however, work is under way and now Valters un Rapa requests an electronic version for all the new books going on sale, reports Nozare.lv/LETA.

Ozola added that the economic crisis has also affected the operations of Valters un Rapa, its turnover has shrank by approximately 30%, however, talks of a possible shutdown of the publishing house are unfounded.

The consolidated turnover of Valters un Rapa reached LVL 4.17 million in 2008, or 2.4% less than a year earlier, according to the Register of Enterprises' Lursoft data.

Last year, Valters un Rapa earned LVL 97,717 in consolidated profit, which was 3.5 times higher than a consolidated profit of LVL 26,745 in 2007.