English 5365 - Internet Writing: Week One Assignment
What was the most recent news or scholarly item of interest that you read that relates to Internet studies (excluding what you read for class this week)? Discuss the impact and significance of the issue and relate it to your own scholarly interests.
On May 27, 2010, The New York Times published an article titled "At Book Expo, Anxiety Amid the Chatter." In addition to a discussion of the events in the publishing world and advertising authors to bookstores and publishers, there was discussion on the impact of ebooks. Julie Bosman notes, "But as in conventions over the past several years, most of the talk involved e-books and their ramifications"(Bosman, 2010).
These publishers are worried about how the ebook will impact them; they are worried about the price, the market, the role of booksellers, the role of publishers, etc. At the expo, Jonathan Galassi described the ebook as “the first wave of a technological revolution, with the depth and force we haven’t experienced since the invention of movable type.”In addition, there was speculation that the ebook would move from 8% of the current market share for books to greater than 50% of the market in 5 years, although "some industry experts dismissed" this figure "as far-fetched"(Bosman, 2010).
These concerns mirror those seen in the Scientific Publishing World with concerns about declining print subscriptions, pricing models for e-subscriptions, and the battle with Open Access. As an employee of a Scientific Publisher, I have seen the graphs of declining print subscriptions and increasing cost to print. In fact, in July 2009, we began publishing a rotated and condensed version of our journals to save "paper, printing, and distribution costs" (Royner, 2009).
I believe that the transition to paperless books will occur and perhaps as quickly as predicted above. The speed of the transition will depend on a unified format, a scheme by which libraries can lend eBooks, and the cost and accessibility of the devices. The move to a unified format is already on the minds of publishers according to an article in Mobile Computing News published on June 4, 2010. According to the article, “publishers have begun grumbling for a standardised platform that will, one give power back to them and, two, remove the barriers that come with proprietary formats” (James, 2010). In addition, the Barnes & Noble Nook already gives users to power to lend their eBooks to others (Barnes & Noble). If the publishers succeed in demanding and unified format and if a lending mechanism becomes available for libraries, all we will need to move to the eReader world will be cheaper, more accessible devices.
Barnes & Noble. (n.d.). Nook. Retrieved June 9, 2010, from Barnes & Noble Homepage: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp
Bosman, J. (2010, May 26). At Book Expo, Anxiety Amid the Chatter. The New York Times .
James. (2010, June 4). Publishers want unified eBooks format. Retrieved June 9, 2010, from Mobile Computing News: http://www.mobile-computing-news.co.uk/ebook-readers/4840/publishers-want-unified-ebooks-format.html
Royner, S. L. (2009, June 15). ACS Journals In Transition. Chemical & Engineering News , 87 (24), p. 7.
On May 27, 2010, The New York Times published an article titled "At Book Expo, Anxiety Amid the Chatter." In addition to a discussion of the events in the publishing world and advertising authors to bookstores and publishers, there was discussion on the impact of ebooks. Julie Bosman notes, "But as in conventions over the past several years, most of the talk involved e-books and their ramifications"(Bosman, 2010).
These publishers are worried about how the ebook will impact them; they are worried about the price, the market, the role of booksellers, the role of publishers, etc. At the expo, Jonathan Galassi described the ebook as “the first wave of a technological revolution, with the depth and force we haven’t experienced since the invention of movable type.”In addition, there was speculation that the ebook would move from 8% of the current market share for books to greater than 50% of the market in 5 years, although "some industry experts dismissed" this figure "as far-fetched"(Bosman, 2010).
These concerns mirror those seen in the Scientific Publishing World with concerns about declining print subscriptions, pricing models for e-subscriptions, and the battle with Open Access. As an employee of a Scientific Publisher, I have seen the graphs of declining print subscriptions and increasing cost to print. In fact, in July 2009, we began publishing a rotated and condensed version of our journals to save "paper, printing, and distribution costs" (Royner, 2009).
I believe that the transition to paperless books will occur and perhaps as quickly as predicted above. The speed of the transition will depend on a unified format, a scheme by which libraries can lend eBooks, and the cost and accessibility of the devices. The move to a unified format is already on the minds of publishers according to an article in Mobile Computing News published on June 4, 2010. According to the article, “publishers have begun grumbling for a standardised platform that will, one give power back to them and, two, remove the barriers that come with proprietary formats” (James, 2010). In addition, the Barnes & Noble Nook already gives users to power to lend their eBooks to others (Barnes & Noble). If the publishers succeed in demanding and unified format and if a lending mechanism becomes available for libraries, all we will need to move to the eReader world will be cheaper, more accessible devices.
Barnes & Noble. (n.d.). Nook. Retrieved June 9, 2010, from Barnes & Noble Homepage: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp
Bosman, J. (2010, May 26). At Book Expo, Anxiety Amid the Chatter. The New York Times .
James. (2010, June 4). Publishers want unified eBooks format. Retrieved June 9, 2010, from Mobile Computing News: http://www.mobile-computing-news.co.uk/ebook-readers/4840/publishers-want-unified-ebooks-format.html
Royner, S. L. (2009, June 15). ACS Journals In Transition. Chemical & Engineering News , 87 (24), p. 7.
posted by Jessica Badger at
8:56 PM
3 Comments:
Hi Jessica,
I too believe that the transition to paperless books is inevitable and have been a fan of them for a long time now. I own, and use regularly, an old Kindle that I dearly love.
However, the fact that I live in a developing country leads me to question some things about the impending changes. First and foremost in my mind is the question of whether this kind of technological advancement will benefit my friends and neighbours, or further widen the proverbial "digital divide" between the "haves" and the "have-nots". Although the concept of paperless books has me envisioning classrooms here with children holding real devices in their hands and examining worlds of content on them that is beyond imagination, the real question becomes, "How realistic is this, really?". If we struggle to get inexpensive and often freely accessible paper documents (books) to these children, and others in the community, now, then what chance do we have of providing them with more expensive, less durable, power-requiring devices instead?
Perhaps the best I can hope for here in the short term is that, as paper books begin to fade away in use in developed countries like the USA, such archaic "devices" as paper books will slowly find their way to locations like mine where they continue to be in high demand.
Thanks for a thought-provoking posting!
Dr. Baehr indicated that he did not have an an account, which allow him to post on this blog, so I decided to include his comments below. Thanks.
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I was not able to add a post to your blog, mainly because I don't have any of the accounts it lists, which is no fault of yours, so I thought I'd email you my comments instead.
We've seen various iterations of the electronic book, and only recently, began to see more successful models become fully embraced by the reading culture. Good marketing and popularity aside, there must be some salient characteristics, convergence of technologies, or other aspects that have drawn people to these new products. We started to scratch the surface in last night's class, but your concerns about unified formats and economic models are equally valid indicators to examine more closely. Your impressive editorial experience with various scientific journals no doubt informs your curiosity, as well, and gives you a unique perspective into issues of electronic textuality. This is certainly one of many directions you could choose to pursue in your work this term.
/cb
I can't say I'm surprised for the desire of a standardized format, especially when I read "publishers have begun grumbling for a standardised platform that will, one give power back to them."
Reading this makes me think about one of the chapters we're reading for this week that discusses ethics. I can't remember, but I believe the Noon allows readers to share books with friends for only a short time, maybe two weeks. However, there are e-books in various formats that readers can buy and share to as many people as they want, indefinitely, which I'm sure publishers are not at all thrilled about.
Shon
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