i think access to getting books has improved over the last 20 years with there being much more choice than before, even more if you add in the internet as a source for books as well. as for the future of books - i fear we may be fighting the tide as costs of traditional publishing rises.

I know exactly how you feel, me being a student and having no income right now. But I have worked and saved up a decent sum of money as well as a nice little shelf full of books. I know people who borrow books and it is a hellva lot cheaper way to read. But I've never really done that so I can't say.

I've recently bought a kindle for about 240RM, a friend brought it back for me. It sounds expensive but i've already downloaded hundreds of books and read quite a few. It's one option of course but to me it was one of the best decisions ever made. I've never liked the idea of reading off anything but paper, but the kindle's e-ink screen is so easy to read you really forget you're reading off a electronic device. I only bought it because I read alot and wanted to save money on books. I understand it sounds like I'm writing an ad for Amazon, but it really is that good.

So don't be discouraged there will always be ways to get books you want to read, even if it takes a long time. There will always be people willing to lend you their books and if all else fails you can always sit down at a bookstore for a day and read books for free, (I've done it before and surprisingly no one kicks you out).

Well a kindle is a electronic reading device produced by Amazon (The online bookstore/megastore), which is currently the best selling and most affordable one out on the market. It's basically like buying an iPod, it's a device so you gotta go buy music and put your music files into it to listen to music. After buying your kindle you still have to buy books off amazon to read, but like music, movies, and everything digital, you can just download books and put them into your kindle or any eReader you own. But if you want to actually buy books from Amazon it's actually quite a complicated process because you can't actually buy the kindle here.

Hope this helps =)