NY Public Library turns 100, not just with books

  Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK -- The New York Public Library's landmark Fifth Avenue building is celebrating its 100th birthday with a party and an exhibit featuring highlights of its collection.

The library's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street opened on May 23, 1911, and is one of the city's most recognizable structures.

The exhibit celebrating the library's holdings includes a Gutenberg Bible and a copy of the Declaration of Independence handwritten by Thomas Jefferson.

While it preserves the past, the library has also embraced the 21st century by putting its catalog and images from its collection online.

The library has celebrated its birthday with a full schedule of events over the weekend and will host a centennial gala Monday night.

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Amazon says e-book sales surpass printed books

  NEW YORK -- Amazon.com Inc. on Thursday said that, after less than four years of selling electronic books, it's now selling more of them than printed books.

The online retailer said that since April 1, it has sold 105 e-books for every 100 printed books, including printed books for which there is no electronic edition. The comparison excludes free e-books, which would tip the scales further if they were included.

Printed books include both hardcover and paperback books. Amazon said in July that e-book sales had outstripped hardcover sales.

It's now selling three times as many e-books as it did a year ago.

Analysts estimate that Amazon accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. e-book sales.

Amazon also said the latest and cheapest version of its Kindle e-book reading device is the best-seller of the line, five weeks after it was introduced. The Kindle with Special Offers costs $114, and shows ads in standby mode.

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