Tanya,
Researchers are not the only users of books and books represent far more
than just a source of information. If the only use you have for a book is
as a source of data for your latest research project - use it and discard
it - then you are denying yourself one of the great pleasures of being a
researcher, not to mention detaching yourself from the humanity of the
process.
A well-researched, well-written, well-illustrated and thoughtfully designed
book is a source of pleasure and once on your book shelf will go on giving
pleasure as well as providing a very usable source of information.
I have many OP books and journal articles stuffed into my hard disk. I've
forgotten what most of them are about because they have no physical presence
(unlike those on my bookshelf) and when I do access them the inability to
browse them at more than one page at a time is infuriating. Large fold-out
drawings are seldom included in ebooks yet are a key part of many 19th
century works and engravings are often ruined as part of the scanning
process. I agree they have their place and I'll use them if I have to, but
whenever I can I'll try to get a printed version.
So, let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater! Reprints do have a
future, at least until all the old farts like me have died out.
Phil Newman
-----Original Message-----
From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Tanya
Sent: 08 July 2013 10:51
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Cwmorthin Book - possible reprint
Why go old-school? Why not an e-book?
Ebooks never go out of print and they cost nothing to reproduce. They can
also be automatically updated/corrected. They go on making money or the
publisher/author years after the tree-masher print run is exhausted.
As someone who has spent a lot of time searching for OP books to research
projects I wish to urge all publishers to move to e-publishing, for their
current output and their back catalogue.
Tanya
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Mike Moore
> Sent: 08 July 2013 09:19
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Cwmorthin Book - possible reprint
>
> I'm in the process of trying to get a reprint of this book - its been
> out of print for sometime unfortunately the original plates have gone
> missing, I'm trying to get a feel for number of copies to get printed
> is anyone on here interested?
>
> Mike
>
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