Holding a conference to discuss “the future of the book in a digital age” in tropical Cairns, Australia, seems a bit like holding a soiree in Orlando to discuss the future of French Cinema. Yet 200 publishers, booksellers, librarians, and academics gathered on April 22-24 within earshot of the odd alligator and didgeridoo for a three-day talkfest about ebooks, automatic publishing machines (APMs), POD, digital copyright — and of course the possible demise of the book as we know it. As if in sympathy, torrential rains fell from the usually deep-blue skies.
Evangelist/keynote speaker Jason Epstein (3 Billion Books) peddled his now familiar line that the only road to universal knowledge is via the digital catalog and a machine which he claims can produce a bound book from a digital file for just a few dollars. Replies to questions about the business model were unconvincing, although Epstein maintains he’s got World Bank cash earmarked for a pilot scheme of 10 machines in underdeveloped countries. Once the futurist floodgates were opened, the dot-com hopefuls (there are still a few around), and leather-sandaled academics jumped in, clutching his or her digital baggage. It was generally agreed that the book does have a future, although given the caveat that “screens that mimic paper are not far away,” Epstein is recommending against further investment in brick warehouses.
Nina Ziv, Professor at the NY Polytechnic University, shared some useful research conducted with major US trade publishers who are going digital. Michael Cairns (yes, he made the joke), President of Bowker USA, shed some newish light on supply chain options, and Chandi Perera of Lonely Planet showed that publishers can do effective market research and build a strategy with the results. In the end, the conference was mostly a meeting of non-practitioners who, with the luxury of not having to make the numbers work, were able to fly some odd-looking though occasionally thought-provoking kites.
We thank Robert Sessions, Publishing Director of Penguin Books Australia, for this report.
