Does it strike you as odd that while the majority of books sold are paperbacks, most websites and almost all newspapers and magazines devote their coverage to books in hardcover?
It did to me when I started BookBrowse 17 years ago next month, which is why from the beginning we've made sure to give coverage to books in both hardcover and paperback.
Even if you read ebooks it's still good to know when the paperback releases as that usually coincides with a price drop on the electronic version. Book club members should also keep an eye on paperback release dates as by the time the paperback comes out (usually 6-12 months after the hardcover) there are a wealth of buying and borrowing options to suit all members of the club.
In fact, even if you borrow from the library it can come in handy to be reminded of paperback publication dates, as the mad dash to request a limited supply of library copies when a book first releases usually dies down after a few months, so seeing a book is out in paperback can prompt to you put in a request at a time when many fewer are ahead of you in the line to read.
