Barnes & Noble Inc reported had a narrower quarterly loss as sales of the largest bookstore chain's Nook e-reader helped mitigate declining book sales.

Barnes & Noble said on Tuesday that sales at its namesake superstores open at least 15 months fell 1.6 percent during the quarter, while same-store sales at its College Bookstore chain were down 1.8 percent. Online sales, helped by Nook, rose 37 percent.

Barnes & Noble had a loss of $56.6 million, or $0.99 per share, in the first quarter ended July 30, compared with a loss of $62.5 million, or $1.12, a year ago.

Barnes & Noble expects a full-year loss between 10 cents and 50 cents per share, compared to a loss of 16 cents per share analysts, on average, were expecting, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

(Reporting by Phil Wahba; Editing by Derek Caney)