Is bundling the future business model for eBooks? It has been a popular approach for many magazine publishers. Yesterday at the Future of Book Publishing Roundtable at the New York Public Library, publishing industry executives discusses the possibilities of eBook bundling.

GalleyCat reports: “Liz Scheier, the editorial director of digital content at Barnes & Noble, talked about success stories with eBook bundles. She said one unnamed publisher saw a massive increase in an author’s sales when they gave away the first book of a series for free. She also suggested publishers try ‘lifestyle bundles,’ selling related eBooks together (like a pregnancy guide and a parenting handbook).”

Publishers are testing the possibilities. Last week Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, introduced a bundled offer for promotional reasons. Brad Meltzer’s The Inner Circle bonus edition eBook includes a free eBook version of Preston and Child’s 2002 novel The Cabinet of Curiosities as part of the purchase. And the bonus edition of Preston and Child’s Gideon’s Sword includes Brad Meltzer’s 2005 novel The Zero Game.