Whole Lot of Scanning Going On
Posted On Oct 20 2006I have to admit that “mass digitization” is one of those phrases that makes me laugh a little. It’s one I like to hear people attempt after a couple of drinks in the conference hotel bar. It’s what George Carlin would call “euphemistic language” that softens what is going on–a whole lot of scanning. But I will admit, digitization sounds cooler than scanning. Kirtas Technology announced this month that it has signed an agreement with Microsoft Corporation for the digitization of both publisher partner copyrighted works and select collections of public domain materials. The books will be available to Windows …
Re-kindling the E-book Fire
Posted On Oct 12 2006Can Amazon rekindle the the smoldering fire of e-book devices? I’ve waited a month since Engadget put this scoop out on their website–the Amazon Kindle. News of Amazon’s apparent attempt to go head-to-head with Sony by launching its own e-ink reader were thwarted, however, by a withdrawn FCC application and relative silence from the online book retailer. We were all left guessing. This slightly less-than-casual observer still believes that there is a market for good e-book devices that will be born out by mass digitiztion projects, increased wireless access, and an awakening on the part of publishers (OK, maybe that last …
Good E-books Done Well
Posted On Jul 12 2006So the pace has not been exactly hectic, yet. Apologies. My plan is to post to this blog once per week, but after four straight weeks of travel in June, the best-laid plans… Anyway, enough excuses. What’s up in the library business? In the past, I have bristled at publishers putting up their own e-book storefronts. After all, even Elsevier would not open a brick and mortar store next to Barnes & Noble. My main complaint has been the unduly hydrophobic manner in which publishers have dipped their toes in the e-book pool: proprietary formats, proprietary hardware and software, online …