SIR – For the benefit of Keith Rayner and any others perhaps less-versed in modern technologies, eBooks are, indeed, available free of charge.

One website alone – Project Gutenberg – offers over 33,000 titles, including almost all the classics and topics for every interest, all instantly available and absolutely free.

And there are other sites too. I wonder how many small public libraries offer that range every day?

I accept that not everyone has an internet connection at home yet – but your neighbour probably has, and will more than likely be happy to download your eBooks anytime. I know I would – that’s the ‘Big Society’.

That only leaves the cost of the eBook reader. Currently around £100 and getting cheaper, set that against the time, trouble, cost and risks of trekking to a physical library every week, especially as they become harder to find, and it soon pays back.

So when the winter heating allowance arrives later this year (I’m looking forward to mine too!), spend a bit of it on an eBook reader and join the growing army of silver-surfers who can do it all without leaving the cosy comfort of our Shackleton chairs and Werther’s Originals.

Graham Hoyle, Kirkbourne Grove, Baildon