Bookseller blogs

Digital discord

philip.jones@bookseller.co.uk — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:17:24 +0000

Short Description:

The Society of Authors' report into e-book royalty rates on library e-book loans speaks to the discombobulating nature of digital.

The Society of Authors’ report into e-book royalty rates on library e-book loans speaks to the discombobulating nature of digital.

One might think that the act of loaning an e-book to a library user via an intermediary such as OverDrive was much the same as loaning a print book, provided to the library via a library supplier. The library gets access to one digital version that it can loan to one user at a time. When the loan period is up the digital version is returned to the library/OverDrive server and can be loaned out again. So far, so much the same.

Fri, 14/06/2013 - 11:16

Eyes wide open

philip.jones@bookseller.co.uk — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:57:43 +0000

Short Description:

Publishing is a global industry: publishers are 360°, rights are global, copyright is being superceded, and the concept of territories is imperilled.

Publishing is a global industry: publishers are 360°, rights are global, copyright is being superceded, and the concept of territories is imperilled. In such a world the pan-international players—including Amazon, Kobo, Ingram and Penguin Random House—will dominate, while local players will struggle for air.

Fri, 07/06/2013 - 14:48

Talking book

Shane Richmond — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Short Description:

Looking back at the FutureBook Innovation Workshop

The phrase “talking book” has slowly fallen out of favour as a name for what we now call the audiobook. Its usage began to decline at around the time Stevie Wonder released his 1972 album of the same name. But the terms “talking book” and “audiobook” may require a rethink after the arrival of a book that really does talk.

Thu, 06/06/2013 - 14:47

Future literacy

Peter James — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:45:00 +0000

Short Description:

All those millions who struggle with reading cannot participate properly in education, employment, cultural or community life.

Aldous Huxley, one of my heroes, once asked: “Has it ever struck you that a lot of our finest romantic literature is the result of bad doctoring?” He also said that he would never drive a motor car in France, because the temptation to run over a priest would be too great. But that is for another day . . .

Thu, 06/06/2013 - 14:36

Trading standards

Sam Coleman — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 10:10:00 +0000

Short Description:

It’s fair to say that many of those coming to us have a dream of working with established authors...

When recruiting into the publishing industry we find that most entry-level individuals, or even candidates looking to move into publishing, tend to be focused on editorial roles within a trade publishing house. The industry itself tends to attract a particularly creative crowd. It’s fair to say that many of those coming to us have a dream of working with established authors, taking long lunches to flesh out new creative visions, and clinking glasses with an innovative team lightyears ahead of its time. The dream job.

Tue, 04/06/2013 - 11:05