Kansas

I’m still borrowing e-books from public libraries. I loved the digital edition of the late Louis Auchincloss’s memoirs that popped up when I was browsing the electronic stacks of a library system near me here in Northern Virginia.

Public libraries at their best can be Serendipity Central.

But I rely much less these days on library books than before. Too often, some major e-books are AWOL from library collections or, as documented earlier this year by the Washington Post, have long waiting lists.

From Publisher’s Weekly: The state library of Kansas this week said that it will partner with upstart e-bookseller Bilbary to facilitate patrons wishing to buy e-books. State librarian Jo Budler told PW that the library would soon add a link to Bilbary on its Web site as an option for patrons, and while the library [...]

The old adage, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” may be sage advice, but the publishing community knows better—that it is an intriguing cover that catches the potential reader’s eye. Indeed, a title’s cover is its most valuable marketing tool—an integral part of the publisher’s and author’s brand. So it makes sense that great thought typically goes into a book’s cover design and production. So was the experience for Walter T. Shaw, a first-time author whose nonfiction book, “A License to Steal,” is being published this year by Omega Publishing Group and manufactured by HCI’s print services division in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The

Len Kain, vice president of marketing, Dogfriendly.com, knows firsthand how much of a gamble fulfillment can be in the book business. While he’s figured out a system for just the right level of inventory, he concedes it can be a roll of the dice. As a small publisher, he’s learned to play the game of fulfillment and returns to his best advantage—to reduce losses and increase gains. For him, as for larger publishers and also distributors, developing efficient warehouse fulfillment and return procedures can involve a healthy run of trial and error. So what is working and what isn’t? Book Business interviewed two

You know the saying, "A rolling stone gathers no moss." If today's publishing industry were the hypothetical stone, not only would it gather no moss, but sparks and smoke would be spewing out in its wake. Change is happening so fast. In its November/December issue last year, BookTech Magazine reported a story called "E-Book Technology Enters the Classroom" about a Kansas school district's implementation of an e-book program—3,000 handheld e-readers were given to students and staff, with access to 500 e-book titles. Today, "The eReader is part of the everyday delivery in the English classrooms," says Rita Lyons, Olathe Unified School District's director

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