ENTRIES TAGGED "library"
Libraries to become community publishing portals
The opportunity to help local writers become publishers
[Ed. note: The following first appeared on The Huffington Post. It has been reposted here with the author’s permission.]
Public libraries provide an essential community service by promoting literacy and a culture of reading.
With the rise of ebooks, public libraries are at a crossroads. Some book publishers, fearful that library ebook lending will cannibalize retail sales of books, are reluctant to supply ebooks to libraries at the very time that library patrons are clamoring for greater access to such materials.
Rather than standing idly by as publishers jeopardize their future, some libraries see an opportunity to take control by proactively cultivating a newer, more library-friendly source of ebooks. These libraries are developing community publishing initiatives in partnership with self-published ebook authors.
Tools of Change for Publishing Newsletter: November 10, 2011
Books in Browsers 2011, ebook DRM and automated writing.
A Books in Browsers 2011 wrap-up, the perils of ebook DRM, and an author's journey toward automated writing are highlighted in the 11/10/11 edition of the TOC Newsletter.
The problem with Amazon's Kindle Owners' Lending Library
The Kindle Lending Library needs a pay-for-performance model, not a flat fee.
For Amazon's new lending program to be mutually beneficial, the flat-fee compensation model needs to be replaced by a usage spectrum: The more a title is borrowed, the higher the fee to the publisher and author.
Publishing News: Curation for the Kindle
Curated Kindle content, digital lessons from a web documentary, and the pursuit of concise categorization.
In the latest Publishing News: Dave Pell describes his new Delivereads project, Pete Meyers says "Welcome to Pine Point" is innovative and plain lovely to look at, and Open Library's George Oates discusses how a minimum viable record might work.
HarperCollins' digital lending cap sparks lively discussion
HarperCollins' cap on digital lending caused a dustup across the publishing industry.
OverDrive announced a library lending cap would be implemented by HarperCollins for its titles. Also, in what slid a bit under the radar due to the HarperCollins news, Overdrive also announced it would begin auditing library digital lending territories.
Open question: Do libraries help or hurt publishing?
As libraries stuggle for funding, we're forced to imagine a world without them.
Libraries around the world are underfunded and struggling to stay open. If they ceased to exist, how would that affect publishing?
Harvard Won't Permit Google Scans of In-Copyright Material
Harvard University Library (HUL) has been a partner in Google's library scanning project since 2004, but the boundaries of that partnership will not expand to the in-copyright works covered under Google's new Book Search settlement. From the Harvard Crimson: In a letter released to library staff, University Library Director Robert C. Darnton '60 said that uncertainties in the settlement…
Connecting the Dots Between Google Book Search and Android
Ed Nawotka of Beyond Hall 8 discusses the possibility that the Google Book Search settlement permits them to envision product delivery through Android-capable devices: Perhaps most important of all is how this cements Google as the industry leader in the distribution of digital books. Sure, there's Amazon with its Kindle…and the Sony E-reader…each with hundreds of thousands of titles…
Libraries Embrace Urban Lit
Great story in the New York Times on the embrace of urban lit by the Queens Public Library, and others. By the way: most of the young, and many of the old, librarians that i know are not … ur … prim: It's not the kind of literary fare usually associated with the prim image of librarians. But public libraries…
A Plea for Passion in Museums
This is a great post about passion for when we talk about our profession, about what we are all trying to do, whether we are librarians, technologists, publishers, or work in museums. It speaks to why libraries and museums often feel "dead." From Museum 2.0: Museums shy away from presenting passionate views. It's ironic that we expect visitors to…