Chronicle traces 6,000 years of Chinese history

More Chinese reading online, but fewer willing to pay

While traditional publishers have been exploring opportunities in the digital world, Internet content has been leaping off the screen and onto the printed page.

Guokr.com, China's most popular science website and online community, has participated in the Shanghai Book Fair for two consecutive years. More than 90 books have been published under the Guokr brand.

"We want to transcribe some of the best content on our website to print," says Summer Wang from Guokr's marketing and digital rights department.

The advantage of Guokr as a publisher is that they have an "Internet way of thinking", says Wang.

"We publish digital and print editions at the same time, and we promote our products on our website."

The most popular books from Guokr, such as Truth about Food and The Rumor Mill, have sold almost 100,000 copies, Wang says.

Both books are collections of popular articles from the Guokr website.

Reading on paper and on an electronic device are two different experiences, and the director of STPH and the young editors at Guokr agree that people who read digital books are unlikely to return to traditional books. But judging from the attendance at the Shanghai Book Fair, there is one group that will continue to grow — people who just love to read.