BCNN1 Books

E-book Publishing Kindles Debate Over Paper vs Plastic

2011-03-10T14:14:13Z

The ceaseless "electronification" of books has prompted a heated principle versus practice debate. One side points to a sentimental attachment to books, the feeling of flipping the pages or of borrowing old copies of classic works from relatives. The other side has its sights focused on technology's potential--all of a sudden, buying a book is easier, many of the classics are free and writers walk away with a larger chunk of the profits. This sort of issue, with such a vast array of pros and cons, has left many readers puzzled.]]> Local book lover Paul Constant worked at Elliot Bay Book Company before becoming the book editor for The Stranger. Upon catching wind of Kindles, Sony Readers and the like, he reacted the way many readers, publishers and sellers do--by panicking.

"It took me awhile to shake that feeling and to think of it as a possibility," said Constant.

Now, being the owner of both a Sony Reader and an iPad, Constant is warming up to the world of electronic reading. E-readers can already do a lot of things that plain pages and print simply aren't capable of. Constant's Sony Reader, for example, will look up a word for you in the Oxford English Dictionary if you tap it with your finger. Newer devices might eventually feature more audio, video, color and hyperlinks.

On the other hand, the companies that manufacture e-readers are privy to the fears of skeptics. So they make the devices look as much like books as possible, giving them spines and bookish fonts, with black and white text and touch screens that are meant to simulate page turning.

But the perks don't stop at convenience or aesthetics. Even though a common knee-jerk reaction to e-books is "Oh no! The book industry will crumble!" there are actually some noteworthy up-sides. For example, authors are receiving a larger percentage of profits than ever before. With electronic "publishing," there aren't as many middlemen who demand a slice of the financial pie. One such example of success lies in Austin, Minn., where indie writer Amanda Hocking has made millions by selling her paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels for around three dollars a copy.

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Source: College Media Network

Christian Bookstores Struggle to Keep Items Selling

2011-03-09T12:24:59Z

Dickson's Bible & Book Store this month is holding its annual "Scratch & Dent" super sale, offering less-than-perfect books and Bibles for up to 60 percent off.

In the age of iPods, Amazon and Wal-Mart, heavy discounts are one way the Highland Park store tries to stay relevant, said store manager Nate Richards.

Pictured: T.J. Jackson, left, of Detroit gets help from sales associate Elijah Harrell III at Dickson's Bible & Bookstore in Highland Park. (David Guralnick / The Detroit News)

]]> "Even with our struggles with online competition ... there are a lot of people who would actually like to touch something," Richard said.

As tens of thousands of Metro Detroiters prepare for their Lenten observances, the challenge that Dickson's and similar stores face is that their existence relies on finding a way to balance their long-held principles with their customers' modern-day mores and desire for convenience.

Consolidation in the Christian store industry has forced smaller stores to adapt to intensified competition, where huge chains -- like Family Christian Stores -- dominate and churches buy stores, such as Revival Tabernacle Church's recent purchase of the Highland Park Dickson's.

While they still sell Bibles, crosses and rosaries, the typical mom-and-pop stores also carry a growing selection of non-secular items, such as motivational plaques, memorial jewelry and angel figurines. They still may not celebrate Halloween, but they sell Faith Bands bracelets "in 12 fun and inspirational" shapes.

"This is a challenging time for Christian stores," said Robbin Vandervort, who along with his wife operates Inter-City Christian Bookstore in Allen Park. "Sam's Club (a Wal-Mart division) carries some Bibles we carry, as well, but they can sell them cheaper than we can buy them from our suppliers."

But Inter-City, which boasts more than 1,500 Bibles in stock and one of the largest commentary sections in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, sells its Bibles at a 25 percent discount, a sale it started a couple of years ago to be competitive.

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Source: Karen Dybis, The Detroit News

Librarians Launch Boycott in Battle Over E-books

2011-03-08T12:45:32Z

One advantage of e-books is that they're virtually indestructible.

But a decision by publisher HarperCollins to limit the circulation of library e-books is rousing librarians, who have started a boycott via blogs and Twitter protesting what some consider the digital "destruction" of books.

Pictured: Book titles for digital devices such as this Nook electronic reader are exploding in popularity. (Mark Lennihan, AP)

]]> Under a policy that began Monday, libraries can "lease" (for a fee) new HarperCollins e-books and loan them no more than 26 times. At that point, the book disappears -- digitally -- unless the library pays to lease another copy for the next 26 readers. (Libraries lend e-books one at a time, just like print, unless multiple copies are bought.)

"Of course the librarians went crazy," says Marilyn Johnson, author of This Book Is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All, published last year by HarperCollins. "Think about it: 'I'm the 27th patron; I see that the book is in the catalog, and then suddenly it's not?' "

It's the latest dispute triggered by the growing popularity of e-books that has pitted publishers against online retailer Amazon (over prices) and publishers against agents and authors (over royalties and rights).

Two other major publishers -- Simon & Schuster (home to Stephen King) and Macmillan (Kristin Hannah) -- do not sell e-books to libraries.

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Source: Bob Minzesheimer, USA TODAY

HarperCollins Sets Checkout Limit On eBooks At Libraries

2011-03-07T15:00:14Z

HarperCollins doesn't want those eBooks of theirs to get torn up, so it makes perfect sense that they've set a limit of 26 checkouts for the eBooks titles it has licensed to libraries. Wait, eBooks can't get damaged, so, what's the big idea?

The publishing company has just recently instituted this new policy of the 26-loan limit, which means after that amount of checkouts is reached, the library must pay for a new license if they want to continue lending the book electronically.

]]> According to the Libary Journal libraries were informed in a note from OverDrive, the company that distributes the digital books.

Libraries are none too happy with this decision, as evidenced by Pioneer Library System'sopen letter to HarperCollins, which reads in part:

The rationale offered by the publisher is since paper books wear out and need to be replaced if they are to remain in a library's collection, the same should be true of their electronic formats. The publisher argues that it should not be denied revenues that come from reselling replacement books and resources. Because the publisher assumes digital resources never deteriorate, they have set an arbitrary limit to the number of times an electronic resource can be accessed. Not planned obsolescence. Forced obsolescence.

What do you think? Should there be a cap on digital checkouts? If so, is 26 a reasonable amount?

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Source: MB Quirk, The Consumerist

What the iPad 2 Means for E-books

2011-03-03T14:36:07Z

Apple made its iPad 2 announcement at a packed press event in San Francisco on Wednesday morning. The big news for books? First: 100 million e-books have been sold through the iBookstore since its April 2010 launch. Second: 17,000 Random House titles will now be available in the iBookstore.

The other big news? Steve Jobs was there and ran the presentation as always, wearing his classic black turtleneck.

]]> The Random House news was expected, as the publishing company announced Monday that it would adopt the agency pricing model for e-books. Random House, the world's largest publisher, had stuck to the traditional wholesale/retail publishing model as other publishers moved to agency pricing. To sell books in Apple's iBookstore, publishers are required to use the agency pricing model.

...

The company demonstrated two new apps that it had built for the iPad: iMovie and Garage Band. The software programs are already available for Mac desktops and laptops, which allow users to create movies and music. One criticism of the iPad was that it was a device made solely for consuming content; by launching these apps, Apple is demonstrating that it wants iPad owners to use the devices creatively.

Wouldn't it be exciting if there were a similar app for people interesting in creating e-books with and for the iPad?

Maybe next time.

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Source: Los Angeles Times: "Jacket Copy"

Libraries Struggle to Offer Readers E-books

2011-03-02T11:33:54Z

The demand for electronic books at public libraries continues to rise as library budgets are cut and new tactics by publishers add layers of financial challenges to keep those titles in supply.

Late last week, HarperCollins announced that its new e-book titles can't be checked out an unlimited number of times but can circulate 26 times at a library before the license expires. After that, a new license must be purchased.

]]> "Publishers are going to find a way to squeeze out every last cent," said Roy Kenagy, interim executive director of the Iowa Library Association. "Libraries will need to find a way to purchase them."

Demand at Iowa libraries for electronic products, including e-books and audio books, increased 69 percent from 2009 to 2010. They are still less than one percent of total circulation, but the demand is expected to continue rising as patrons loaded up on electronic readers last Christmas, said Sandy Dixon, director of library development at the State Library of Iowa.

Libraries in Iowa responded by offering 22,813 e-books in 2010, up 21.4 percent from the previous year.

At the Des Moines Public Library, e-book circulation doubled in January to 383 titles from its first month of availability in December.

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Source: Mike Kilen, The Des Moines Register

Random House, Last Major Publisher Holding Out, Agrees to Apple iBookstore Terms

2011-03-01T14:46:54Z

Stieg Larsson's novels may finally be headed to the iBookstore.

Random House Inc., which publishes Larsson, Dan Brown and John Grisham, among others, announced Monday that it had agreed to use the "agency model" required to sell books through Apple's store. Users of iPads and other Apple devices have only been able to purchase Random House books through an app for Amazon.com's Kindle or for other e-devices.

]]> "We are making this change both as an investment in the successful digital transition of our existing partners and in order to give us the opportunity to forge new retail relationships," Random House said in a statement.

Random House had been the last holdout among the six top New York publishers to accept the new system, which gives publishers more control over the cost of e-books. They would sell for $12.99 to $14.99 when first released and prices would change over time. Random House had previously refrained, saying booksellers, not publishers, should set the final price. Industry observers had noted that under the previous system, publishers retained a greater share of the revenues.

Under the old model, Amazon.com had been offering best-selling e-books for $9.99 or less, a cost that publishers said was too low and could harm the value of all books.

Random House spokesman Stuart Applebaum would not say whether the publisher would be signing on with Apple, although the announcement does cite "the opportunity to forge new retail relationships." Applebaum said the decision came after "extensive conversations with a broad range of booksellers" and that it was looking to "support our retailers' digital growth as well as our own."

The announcement comes as e-sales keep growing, to what several publishers say is 10 percent of the market, and physical store space declines with the recent bankruptcy filing of the Borders chain, which expects to close at least 200 superstores.

Random House's decision was good news for Apple, which has been trying to break Amazon's domination of the e-book market, and was welcomed by the independent bookstores' trade organization, the American Booksellers Association. Independent sellers were slow to break into the e-business, but many have signed on through Google's new online store.

"We have believed from the beginning that the agency model is in the best interest of not only the book industry, but the consuming public as well," the ABA's chief executive officer, Oren Teicher, said in a statement.

Source: Hillel Italie, The Associated Press

Christian Publishers Move Ahead with Enhanced E-Books

2011-02-24T13:49:40Z

A number of Christian publishers have recently launched new initiatives to produce what are being called "interactive e-books" and "multi-media reading experiences." Zondervan and David C. Cook are among the first to move beyond the usual e-book format into enhanced e-books that offer readers more than the printed word.

]]>

"As we saw the future, we began to think about what books we have coming or already have that would be ripe for this new experience," said Don Gates, v-p of marketing at Zondervan.

Zondervan credits parent HarperCollins for its early understanding of e-book possibilities and released The Purpose Drive Life in enhanced e-book form in January. It includes 42 embedded videos featuring author Rick Warren.

Ryan Dunham, senior v-p of sales and marketing at David C. Cook, said the company's goal with its first interactive e-book, Crazy Love by Francis Chan, "was to create an experience for consumers captivated by Chan's message that enables them to fully embrace what he is saying."

Crazy Love Enhanced Edition, scheduled to be released February 24, features 10 video clips, 9 audio clips, and 53 links to additional resources. It is being marketed with banner advertising on Web sites, social media exposure, a blog campaign, and a national publicity campaign.

"We believe this edition will help readers connect to the content, the author, and to God in a unique, experiential way," said Alex Field, senior acquisition and development editor at David C. Cook. The company is selling the e-book through NOVO Ink. (See story in the Jan. 26 issue of RBL.)

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Source: Ann Byle, Publisher's Weekly

How Christian Publishers Are Being Impacted by Borders' Bankruptcy

2011-02-22T12:55:24Z

Christian publishers are among many publishing houses owed at least $230 million by Borders, which filed for bankruptcy yesterday.

The second-biggest U.S. bookstore chain after Barnes & Noble formally filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, listing total debt of $1.29 billion and supposed assets of $1.275 billion, Bloomberg reported.

]]> Owed $1.9 million, Zondervan was among the top 20 publishers on Borders' creditors' list. The parent company of Zondervan, HarperCollins was owed $25.8 million. The chain owed Hachette Book Group--the parent company of FaithWords--$36.9 million, while Howard Books' parent company, Simon & Schuster, was owed $33.75 million. Additionally, Random House--the parent company of Multnomah Books and WaterBrook Press--was owed $33.5 million.

Baker Publishing Group Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing David Lewis told Christian Retailing that the company and "the rest of the industry have been aware that a Border's bankruptcy was likely."

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Source: Christian Retailing

Moe Girkins Leaving Zondervan; No Reason Given

2011-02-19T20:34:52Z

Zondervan CEO Maureen "Moe" Girkins will step down March 11, the Grand Rapids-area publisher announced Thursday afternoon.

A search for a new CEO will begin immediately, according to a statement released by the company.

The company declined to comment on the reason for her departure.

]]> In the interim, she will be replaced by Scott Macdonald, general manager of The City, Zondervan-owned integrated software platform for church communities.

"Macdonald will work closely with Zondervan's leadership team, which combined has more than 100 years of experience with the company," read the statement announcing the leadership change.

Macdonald is described as a veteran in Christian retailing. He previously served as president of Insight Retail Group, a franchisor of Christian stores with 35 sites. MacDonald has developed growth strategies and increased profitability at multiple companies, according to the statement.

Zondervan, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, produces Bibles, including the best-selling NIV Bible translation, books and new media products as well as children's products from its Zonderkidz group.

E-mail Shandra Martinez: smartinez@grpress.com and follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/shandramartinez

Source: The Grand Rapids Press

Borders' Decline Means Big Changes for Book Industry

2011-02-17T12:20:22Z

Whether or not Borders survives closing some 200 stores, the "superstore" boom of the past two decades has busted, authors and publishers face a market minus millions of square feet of physical shelf space and communities once crowded with booksellers may find themselves with none.

"I think Borders' fall will cause a lot of publishers to realize they can't just count on a few giant entities to sell their products," said Simba Information senior trade analyst Michael Norris.

]]> Borders, the second largest chain behind Barnes & Noble, Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Wednesday, and will close nearly a third of its 642 stores, from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. About 6,000 of the company's 19,500 employees will lose their jobs. Borders owes millions of dollars to publishers, who must decide whether they should continue doing business with a bookseller that has been unable to pay its bills.

"Penguin hopes that Borders will emerge from this process as a smaller but stronger book retailer, and will work closely with Borders management to support this transition," Penguin Group (USA), which is owed $41.1 million, said in a statement. "Penguin has been following developments at Borders very closely for many months and has taken appropriate steps to mitigate the financial impact of the company's bankruptcy on Penguin."

Borders' bankruptcy should accelerate at least a few trends: E-books now are an estimated 10 percent of the market, 10 times the share of three years ago, and readers no longer close to a Borders may instead download a book or buy a physical one online; author book tours will continue to evolve, as more events - if held at all - will take place at libraries, lecture halls and other settings outside a store; and the era when Barnes & Noble and Borders opened multiple stores within driving, or even walking distance of each other, is truly over.

Based in Ann Arbor, Mich., a college town, Borders Group Inc. began as an offbeat, likeable underdog, grew into a powerhouse that helped shut down many independent sellers and now must compete in a tight, increasingly online economy, in an ever-hurried world. Publishers are skeptical that Borders can rebound but very much wish it would. Although earnings have dropped sharply in recent years, Borders is still a billion-dollar entity which can make a book a hit. Superstores have a reputation for mechanically favoring commercial releases, but Borders has long had an affinity for literary fiction, especially paperbacks. In recent years, Chris Cleave's "Little Bee" and David Benioff's "City of Thieves" are among the books publishers credit Borders with helping to make best-sellers.

"They've always been great champions of the trade paperback format," says Carrie Kania, who heads HarperCollins' paperback imprint, Harper Perennial.

"Borders has, from their beginnings, been a consistent supporter of literary and first fiction," says literary agent Ira Silverberg. "Their loss will absolutely be felt in lower projections for first print runs by publishers."

Not everyone minds watching a giant stumble. Publisher Bruce McPherson of McPherson & Co. said he had long stopped dealing directly with Borders, preferring to work through the wholesaler Ingram. McPherson, who released Jaimy Gordon's National Book Award-winning novel "Lord of Misrule," said the superstore chain had put many valued smaller stores out of business and that he was "not going to mourn Borders if it disappears."

Independent sellers, meanwhile, believe they have a chance to step back in, even as industry observers wonder whether physical stores of all sizes are in decline. In a statement issued Wednesday by the American Booksellers Association, the ABA said it was indeed "saddened when any bookstore closes. The industry - whether independent bookstores, publishers, or readers - does not benefit from the diminishment of places to browse, discover, and buy books.

"However, despite the doom and gloom expressed by some about the future of full-service bricks-and-mortar bookstores - and, while we don't underestimate the challenges that lie ahead - the ABA believes that the indie bookstore model is well positioned for the future," said the ABA, the trade association for independents.

"In time, I'm sure, communities which can support an independent store will find literary entrepreneurs taking up the slack," Silverberg says. "At least we can hope so. While this is all a part of a rapid evolution of the retail landscape for books, and we could have seen this coming, it doesn't take away the fear that fewer new books will get the high street retail opportunities they deserve."

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Associated Press writer Mae Anderson in New York contributed to this story.

Source: Hillel Italie, The Associated Press

Target Starting to Take on Traditional Bookstores

2011-02-16T11:50:34Z

There has been a lot of troubling news for bookstores lately as they face increased competition from e-books and online retailers, and now even Target stores have them in their sights. If you go into any Target, you'll find a variety of fiction, trade fiction, non-fiction, and mass release books that is more comparable to a bookstore than any other big box store, so you can grab the latest from your favorite author while shopping for everything else you need. ]]> According to Publishers Weekly, the demographics of Target shoppers most closely resembles that of American book buyers, so Target considers itself in competition with them instead of, say, Wal-Mart. Whereas 30% of Wal-Mart shoppers are 65 or older and 55% have an average income of less than $40,000, Target says the median age of its shoppers is 46 and that the median income is $55,000, numbers very similar to bookstore demos and Target is taking full advantage.

Books are discounted 15-30% in Target stores and the340,841 titles sold online are discounted 5-30% with free shipping if you spend at least $50. Target sells the Kindle and Sony e-readers, it has its own book club picks and it mimics the Barnes and Noble "Discover Great New Writers" program with its "Bookmarked Breakout" selections from new writers.

A team of book buyers at Target's corporate headquarters in Minnesota decides which books the 1750 Target stores will carry and they buy up to 50 new titles a month, generally sticking to big publishing house choices with printing runs of at least 100,000. While all Targets carry essentially the same books, how those books are displayed will vary from store to store depending on the clientele of that particular Target.

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Source: Daemon's Books

Target Celebrates Black History Month by Giving Away 17,000 Books to School Kids in Chicago

2011-02-16T11:50:34Z

Target is celebrating Black History Month by making a major book donation to Chicago Public School students.

The retailer is giving 17,000 books to students at 31 schools.

]]> Each student will receive one book to take home, a bookmark and a book bag. The books commemorate the contributions of influential African Americans throughout history, including President Barack Obama, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior and Rosa Parks.

Each school is also being awarded a $1,000 grant to purchase books for its own library.

Source: ABC 7 News

E-books and the Return of the Serial Novel

2011-02-15T13:21:51Z

Every wondered why Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities" is so long? It's because the book was originally a serial novel, published chapter by chapter in sequential issues of a magazine.

The serial novel is largely a bygone phenomenon.

]]> Sure, you can find contemporary examples of serial stories -- Stephen King's "The Green Mile" was published in six parts in 1996, for instance, and television series have it right in the name -- but the serial novel all but ended with the 19th century.

Or did it?

E-books and the Web have created the perfect environment for a resurgence of the serial novel.

Authors such as Dickens liked the serial format because it meant more money. The more stories you have published in a magazine, the longer you draw out a narrative, the more cash you get. And a serial novel can hold the audience captive for months, even years, as the story plays out issue by issue. It's guaranteed long-term income.

In recent years, some publishers have realized the serial's potential in the digital age. Starting in 2000, King experimented with the e-serial format with his yet-unfinished novel "The Plant"; he posted installments of the story on his website for $1 each, though the plan fell apart thanks to hackers in the early Web 2.0 days. Last year, husband-wife author duo Tracy and Laura Hickman launched an online fantasy novel with a subscription model.

Two weeks ago, The Huffington Post (now owned by AOL) announced it will start publishing serial novels, starting with "Seeing Red" by Claudia Ricci. So far, a prologue and two chapters have been published at seeingredhuffpost.blogspot.com -- for free, however.

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Source: NICK EATON, Seattle PI

Borders Stares in the Face of Bankruptcy

2011-02-14T13:56:05Z

Borders Group Inc. is expected to file for bankruptcy early this coming week - the result of declining annual revenues and mounting rent obligations as well as its struggle to catch up to the e-book business that is credited with keeping the publishing industry afloat.

Borders, which is based in Ann Arbor, Mich., is the third largest bookseller in the United States. According to the Wall Street Journal, Borders is turning to Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after failing to get publishers to agree to a plan that would have restructured a debt that currently totals over $500 million.

]]> The company released a statement on Jan. 27 saying it received a conditional refinancing commitment from GE Capital for $550 million, but the agreement required approval by Borders creditors.

Scheduled to take place either Monday or Tuesday, the bankruptcy will result in nearly 20,000 job losses and the closure of about one third of its 674 Borders and Waldenbooks stores.

The last few years have resulted in declining revenues for the company. Third quarter sales in 2010 reached $470.9 million - a 17.6 percent decrease from the same period the previous year. The company's operating losses reached $74.4 million, nearly twice as much as the previous year.

In late 2009, the company shuttered 204 bookstores.

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Source: Mark Guarino, The Christian Science Monitor