A charity is urging people in Lichfield and Burntwood not to ditch books in favour of e-readers.
Whittington-based St Giles Hospice runs a number of bookshops across the region and believes people need to persist with the paperback.
The plea comes as figures reveal a 24 per cent drop in printed adult books in 2011.
Spokesperson Lynwen Truesdale said: “Reading a book is a much more involved experience than simply comprehending the words in front of your eyes.
“A book can be read and re-read, then passed on or donated to a St Giles Bookshop for someone else to enjoy. At our stores across the region we have an exceptional range of titles catering to lovers of fiction and non-fiction, and all at great-value prices.
“So to keep books alive, visit your local St Giles Bookstore – where buying a new thriller will also mean making a valuable contribution to the work performed by our staff and volunteers for seriously-ill local people.”
Further information is available by calling 01543 481042 or visiting www.stgileshospice.com/shops.
