I found an interesting blog covering how the publishing industry is managing the transition from paper to electronic books. Of course, this could transform the industry and increase profit margins.
However, we must consider the employment consequences. What happens to the printing side of the business? Distribution? How long will the transition take and what will the book industry eventually look like?
This technology will certainly change the industry as we know it, not only as far as printing is concerned but also by reducing the limits placed on works being published, perhaps reducing the quality of the works that are made available, increasing the opportunities for editors. The participants in the industry will have to adjust to perhaps no more print copies in 20-30 years; one generation away.
ReplyDeleteRichard Lefrancois
I agree that the employment loss will be horrible but what the help to the environment will be enormous. It is hard to say which is more important but without somewhere to live such as our environment, jobs would be pointless. Hard call though.
ReplyDeleteThat was meant to say was "but the help to the environment will be enormous."
ReplyDeleteI recently just purchased my first E-Book a few weeks ago and I was amazed at the convenience of having a complete novel available on my computer or my phone. I think that the transition to E-books has both pros and cons. Our society is a society of a change and society is changing and relying more heavily on technology and the book industry is just trying to stay current with society’s changes. Going paperless is environment friendly but will cost millions of people jobs. It won’t only affect the publishing companies but will also affect local libraries. If all books are available online, why go to the library?
ReplyDeleteE-books are also very profitable for the companies that distribute them. A company may scan one book and sell 100 copies at virtually no cost to them. I am very interested in seeing how quickly the e-book movement spreads.
Christina Simmons DBU
The budget balancing acts of Congress have always mystified me. I feel that in my own life, the budget is pretty cut and dry. And although the monetary affairs of state in the US are probably nowhere as simple as my own two-person household, I feel that things are complicated by the "political" process. To make matters even worse, the increase in the payments on interest for the Federal Debt is appaling.
ReplyDeleteCody Bailey DBU
I have to say that I have never bought an E-Book before and that I personally don't plan on doing it anytime soon. To me, part of the enjoyment that I get from reading a book is being able to feel and flip through the soft leafy pages of an old, worn-out book. There are clear environmental benefits to using E-Books, however, the way I see it is that trees are a renewable resource. So, as long as we are careful as to how many trees we are taking out, and can reimburse that cost by planting more trees, I think that it is okay to just use normal books. It is clearly better economically to keep printing books due to the number of jobs that are created for people, along with the financial flow that is caused by the process of shipping and purchasing. However, in the end, people will do whatever is most convenient for them, which will likely be to purchase the E-Books. Because of that convenience and ease, people will be just a click away from loads of knowledge which can in the end make the world a better place to live in.
ReplyDeleteCaleb Tague DBU
Will this create an issue of Unintended Consequence? The largest portion of the industry work at jobs dependent on the printing of books – book store owners to printer technician all make a living via the “hard copy” median and what about the people that make a living indirectly? On the other hand, what positive effects will this have in areas such as the environment? Mark Denzin - DBU
ReplyDeleteJohn Tillotson said...
ReplyDeleteI do not look a e-books. An e-book is just not the same as a regular book. When I do read and I do not read that often, I have to actually see and feel and look at the book. I want to see the thickness and actualy touch and just feel a book.
Jueun Choi:)
ReplyDeleteI do not like e-books. I think book has to be paper. not from machine things. also There are so many book writers all around. I think they want to open with paper book not the e-book. workers for e-book will be really hard. I do not know well about e-book's but worker has to type everything. right?
Recently leaving this industry I can tell you that the transition is not one that is going well. If you follow the stock market the industry has gone from a very large to significantly smaller almost over night. One company in its SEC filings has gone from a 3B company to a roughly 400M company in less than two years. The transition has allowed many new smaller competitors into the market and made it much harder to keep a competitive edge. Many companies have so totally changed their model that they are filing for bankruptcy protection and are reforming with a new model.
ReplyDeleteCorey Crawford
This is very interesting to me as well as heart breaking. My father was a printer by trade and I watch how the new technology of printers and copiers slowly eroded away his business. As a child there was nothing that smelt better to me than the print shop. But just like the majority of glass bottles are a thing of the past so will be most books.
ReplyDeleteI do hope for the sake of book collectors that they will continue to print collectible books. I personally will miss the smell of the ink on the pages.
As far as E-books as a whole I look forward to the day that my college books are e-books as long as there is a highlight feature for easy reference to brush up for a test.
The speed in which we see technology fly will be amazing. You have to remember in the 19th century we built cars, planes, computers, cell phones, gaming systems, portable TV's, and much more. We have came along way in a century and we will be amazed at what the next century will bring.
Gary Kilcrease DBU LS.