I am pleased to see some libraries are taking up the role of community publishers - it was something I advocated in the '10-point plan for public libraries' that I circulated at the 'Speak Up for Libraries' conference last year.  However, the Library's role should not be limited to supporting writers but should be extended to other community groups who may need to produce quality reports and publications.

Martyn

--- On Wed, 3/4/13, Ken Chad <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

From: Ken Chad <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Libraries to become community [ebook] publishing portals
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Wednesday, 3 April, 2013, 12:56

'Libraries to become community publishing portals. The opportunity to help local writers become publishers’. By Mark Coker. O’Reilly Tools of change for Publishing (TOC). 1 April 2013 (originally published in Huffington post)

 

'With the rise of ebooks, public libraries are at a crossroads. Some book publishers, fearful that library ebook lending will cannibalize retail sales of books, are reluctant to supply ebooks to libraries at the very time that library patrons are clamoring for greater access to such materials. Rather than standing idly by as publishers jeopardize their future, some libraries see an opportunity to take control by proactively cultivating a newer, more library-friendly source of ebooks. These libraries are developing community publishing initiatives in partnership with self-published ebook authors.'

 

Link to this and other ebook resources on the Local Government Library Technology (LGLibTech) e books page, section –‘libraries as publishers’

http://lglibtech.wikispaces.com/E-Books#Libraries%20as%20ebook%20publishers

 

Ken

Ken Chad Consulting Ltd

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