Elmore Leonard: An Homage in Three Bears
American literature is markedly poorer this week with the death of Elmore Leonard, the undisputed dean of crime fiction.
What Is Summer Reading but Life Writ Large?
Time to review summer reading, not only what is on the list but also the very idea of summer reading. Summer reading takes us to a place outside ourselves, but for people involved with publishing, that far-off place is part of day-to-day reality.
Book Review — "The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths"
A new book about the role of governments in long-term R&D and market-creation functions should send shockwaves through the political system over the coming decades. Fortunately, you can read it now.
An Industry Pining for Bookstores
Publishing does not take place in a vacuum but in an ecosystem. The book business is changing not because of a preference for digital books but because physical bookstores are being removed from the ecosystem.
For Libraries the Future Is a Foreign Country
A new essay by Rick Anderson proposes that libraries begin to focus more strongly on special collections and migrate away from the collection of commodity content. This would have a dramatic impact on the structure of the marketplace for scholarly materials and would be more disruptive than anything currently being bandied about. That may not be a bad thing.
Lac-Mégantic and the Importance of Digital Archiving
The tragedy of the train wreck and oil fire in Lac-Mégantic, Québec is, first and foremost, a human one, with close to 50 people killed and the homes and businesses of many survivors destroyed. But a smaller tragedy has also come […]
Dissertation Embargoes and the Rights of Scholars: AHA Smacks the Hornet's Nest
A recent statement by the American Historical Association is generating heated debate about the rights and best interests of junior scholars, the market dynamics for scholarly monographs, and the competing needs of publishers, libraries, authors, and readers.
The New Gatekeepers are Economists
Apple colluded with publishers to set prices on books, but the Department of Justice seems not to have noticed the growing market position of Amazon. At what point does a company that trades in cultural products become too big a piece of public discourse?
Another Perspective on Library-Press "Partnerships"
A response to Joe Esposito’s post last week about partnerships between libraries and university presses.
The Relationship Between Research and Publication, Or Why Libraries Should Buy More First Books Than Any Others
Publication in the humanities and social sciences isn’t the reporting of research. It’s the production of a compelling argument, based on a combination of research and interpretation.
Google Wins One: No Class Status for Authors Guild
Google wins an appeal on class status for the Authors Guild lawsuit. This decision may have far-reaching effects on the case and fair use principles.
An Interview with Bob Weinschenk, CEO of SIPX
SIPX aims to simplify digital rights management for end users – faculty and students – while at the same time making life easier for the publishers and purchasers of the content
Having Relations with the Library: A Guide for University Presses
Libraries and university presses are often asked to collaborate with one another; in some instances presses are put into library organizations. It is not clear why. The functions of publishers and libraries are very different, making true partnerships difficult to achieve.
Book Domino Chain World Record
To launch their summer reading project, the Seattle Public Library went for a world’s record.
Why the Apple Ebook Ruling is a Loss for Publishers, Authors, and Readers
Yesterday federal judge Denise L. Cote, of United States District Court in Manhattan, ruled against Apple in the United States vs. Apple Inc., et. al. ebook case. Anyone who thinks this isn’t a terrible outcome for publishers, authors, and readers, isn’t paying attention.