This new library-in-a-shipping-container plans on using growing Internet access in Africa to create a new model for making available both electronic information and physical books. It’s a conundrum that library advocates have struggled with for years: in many areas in the developing world, libraries run on donations, which means they often end up with irrelevant books that never even get removed from their boxes. People still come to libraries in these places for a quiet place to read and study, but certainly not because of the resources they provide. Recently, a crop of initiatives have launched that aim to make libraries more relevant again. Librii, a project from Libraries Across Africa that’s seeking $50,000 in funding from Kickstarter, is one of them. The project, which began as Librii director David Dewane’s thesis idea at the Rice School of Architecture, bills itself as "a digitally enhanced, community-based, revenue-generating library on the frontiers of broadband connectivity." In simple terms, the founders envision low-cost libraries (a single library in Ghana to start) that take advantage of the burgeoning fiber optic infrastructure in Africa to provide Internet access, curated content, educational programs, and of course, physical books.Read Full Story Continue reading at 'Fast Company'
[ Fast Company | 2013-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins has launched an ebook imprint, called Mischief, which will focus on erotica and... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Justin Moodie is leaving DK to start up his own digital consultancy, moving from his role as... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Not content with simply doling out free digital comics to fans who favor the tangible page, Marvel is now giving readers a new reason to reach for their tablets: augmented reality. Android and iOS devices will be able to look beyond the page using Marvel AR, an Aurasma-powered app slated to... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2012-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cosmopolitan topped 115,000 digital subscribers last month, making it the first Hearst title to break 100,000 and perhaps marking renewed reason for hope among magazine publishers. Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2012-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Edinburgh International Book Festival and the British Council are launching the Edinburgh... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst Magazines UK has appointed News International's Lee Wilkinson to the newly created role of product director for its digital division. Continue reading at Media Week
[ Media Week | 2012-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Publishers Association has said it is looking forward to working with internet service... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It's a case of having one's cake and eating it, too. Or, in this instance, digitizing the works of others and reselling them online for a 40 percent cut. According to Le Temps, a controversial new law recently passed by the French government will see out-of-print books from the 20th century... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2012-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Oddly, Random House deciding to triple the price of its ebooks for libraries is being considered a compromise. While others, like Penguin, are pulling their electronic tomes from the virtual shelves of our lending institutions, Random House is at least willing to still play ball -- even if it's... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2012-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In the early days of the digital revolution, most independent publishers were moving slower than the larger houses in getting on the ebook bandwagon. That period has clearly passed. With only a couple of exceptions, the publishers that made it onto this year’s edition of PW’s fast-growing small... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reading a book on a tablet like the Kindle Fire is “like trying to cook when there are little children around,” David Myers said. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2012-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Self-publishing an essay through Amazon is a reminder of the benefits of a traditional publishing house. Continue reading at The Atlantic
[ The Atlantic | 2012-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Interactive learning company Mindshapes is to launch Magic Town, a virtual world for picture... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Half a million children in 21 countries are joining top children's authors in events to celebrate World Book Day. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2012-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Zinio is positioning itself to be more than just a digital newsstand service—the company is rolling out a new suite of publishing tools that are designed to easily include interactivity for almost any digital magazine. Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2012-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jackie Collins is going into self-publishing, with plans to release an ebook version of The... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gordon McLeod, the former head of Dow Jones's digital publications, has a new job, at an ad tech start-up. He's now president at Krux, a two-year-old "data management platform" that helps publishers control "cookie" data that tracks Web surfers' movements. Last fall, Krux raised $11 million in a... Continue reading at AllThingsD
[ AllThingsD | 2012-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tampa, Fla. — February 28, 2012 — SAXOTECH, a leader in content management, circulation and advertising technology, today announced GateHouse Media, Inc. (GateHouse Media) has selected the SAXOTECH Mediaware Center and SAXOTECH On ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Educational publisher and FT owner, Pearson reports a rise in profits thanks to improved digital sales and growth in emerging markets. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2012-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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