Barnes & Noble Launches E-Publishing Unit

Barnes & Noble Inc., operator of the No. 2 U.S. Web-based bookseller, said it has started an electronic publishing division that will help expand the digital book market by offering low-priced books and larger royalties for authors. Barnes & Noble Digital will sell its electronic books for $5.95 to $7.95, less than the corresponding print editions. Its first eBooks will be available this spring. The unit will let Barnesandnoble.com publish directly on the Internet by acquiring book rights from authors. Previously, the company bought eBooks from publishing houses. It will pay authors a 35% royalty, about double what other electronic publishers pay.