2010 e-Book publishing in a nutshell
Organizer: Alan Harvey, Deputy Director and Editor-in-Chief, Stanford University Press
In recent months the media has engaged in a rather frantic debate over the demise of print publishing and the emergence of ebooks. This has been fueled by the almost monthly release of a new e-reading device, each claiming expanded features and an easier reading/buying experience. The entrance of Apple into this expanding field has thrown the debate into hyperdrive. But where does all this leave the scholarly publishing community? What does the future hold for the product of university presses?
With the blogosphere alight with postings about hardware and software developments, it ought to be easy to keep abreast of these new business opportunities. But, like any technological advance, this one comes with its own vocabulary and set of technical prerequisites. XML workflow; EPUB format; bundling; DRM; disaggregated content. Many of us are left in the dark, unable to divine the implications for our market sector or chart the best path for our content.
This workshop aims to provide more than just an accessible overview of the e-publishing arena. Presenters will outline processes in action at their press, as well as speculate on possibilities for future evolution. From manuscript to customer access, we will address issues at all stages of the book's life-cycle, even tackling the thorny issues of digital business models. The workshop will close with a discussion of new publishing models — both commercial and nonprofit — where content acquisition takes into account the various distribution modes.
Schedule
9.00 Opening remarks
9.10 Kate Davey -- File Formats
9.55 Karen Hill -- Digital Workflow
10.40 Coffee break
11.00 Laura Cerruti -- Digital outlets
11.45 Alex Holzman -- Mellon-funded ebook program
12.00 Lunch
1.00 Re-cap
1.10 Frank Smith -- Business Models
1.55 Anh Bui – eBook Discoverability, Visibility & Usability: what researchers and librarians tell us about getting ebooks in front of them
2.40 Coffee break
2.55 Panel Session -- What do you get when you cross an e-book with a university press? Michael Jensen, Monica McCormick, Frank Smith If we could throw everything away and build a press from scratch to meet the needs of the new marketplace, what would it look like? And can we get there from here? (or, should we?)
3.50 Wrap-up
4.00 Close
