How are you doing on your New Year's Resolutions? So far, I've kept up a few of mine (learn to play a bit of piano), and a few others have already slipped by (exercise every day—fat chance!). However, apparently I'm in good company. Only 8% of people actually accomplish a New Year's resolution. Fortunately, there's a holiday for people like me! January 17th is "Ditch Your New Year's Resolutions Day." Users have checked out hundreds of eBooks and audiobooks from OverDrive encouraging them to eat healthier, get in shape, or gain control of their finances. However, cake is delicious, beds are extremely comfortable, and new electronics are unbelievably shiny. Luckily, OverDrive has plenty of titles to sabotage those New Year's Resolutions in style!
"Lose Weight" The Dessert Book: A Complete Manual from the Best American and Foreign Authorities, A Boston Lady Just listening to the description makes me want to trade in those dumbbells for potholders: this antiquarian cookbook contains hundreds of recipes for "puddings, pies, cakes, soufflés, “jumbles,” wafers, biscuits, meringues, nougats, bouchées, glaces, ice creams, fruit ices, coffees, teas, chocolate drinks, liqueurs, creams and wines, jellies and marmalades, brandied fruits, compotes, and much more." However, the anonymous author prefers to keep things elegant: “In arranging the table, the greater number of handsome dishes and high stands that can be available the better, as glaces, fruits, compotes, and confectionery look much handsomer when so displayed.” (I agree. It also makes me feel classy when I pig out).
"Be More Active" How to Be Idle: A Loafer's Manifesto, Tom Hodgkinson Being lazy is hard work! Even Oscar Wilde said, "To do nothing at all is the most difficult thing in the world, the most difficult and the most intellectual." I may not be exercising my body, but I'm exercising my mind—I think. (However, husbands who read this eBook may later need the direction of The Lazy Husband: How to Get Men To Do More Parenting and Housework by Joshua Coleman, Ph. D.)
"Get Organized" Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things, Gail Steketee and Randy Frost You know, I could clean the house, or I could read this eBook about compulsive hoarding and think, "Eh, at least I can open my back door without an instant avalanche." (Never mind the closet.)
"Get Out More" Encyclopedia of Cat Breeds: A Complete Guide to the Domestic Cats of North America, J. Anne Helgren Who needs to get out and be more sociable when there are over fifty different cat breeds to explore? At least I only have one cat—for now.
"Eat Healthier" Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book, Ben Cohen, Jerry Greenfield, Nancy J. Stevens With this eBook, you can ditch any last remaining New Year's Resolutions once and for all, thanks to recipes like those for New York Super Fudge Chunk, Mocha Swiss Chocolate Almond, and of course, the legendary 20-scoop Vermonster. At least it contains a recipe called "Healthfood Haven" (a sundae with granola, whipped cream, a strawberry, and half a banana. That's healthy, right? Right?)
As always, some of these eBooks may have geographical or other restrictions. Please check with your Collection Development Specialist to learn more, and remember to tell your readers about these indulgent titles. Happy Ditch Your New year’s Resolutions Day!
Jenny Norton is a Support Services Specialist at OverDrive.
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Thursday, January 16, 2014
Ditch Your New Year’s Resolutions Day
Samsung Announces Galaxy Tab Lite, Price Not Known
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As was expected, Samsung has announced its contender in the entry level budget tablet segment in the form of the Galaxy Tab Lite. The tablet features decent specs which suits its intended price range. This includes a 1.2 Ghz dual core chip, 1 GB of RAM, and 8 GB of storage all packed beneath a 1024 X 600 pixel 7 inch display. There is a 2 megapixel rear camera (none at the front) as well as is a micro SD card slot. The tablet will be powered by a 3,600mAh battery which Samsung claims will be good enough for eight hours of video playback, and will be available in both 3G as well as Wi-Fi only versions. Samsung has held back on the most crucial aspect of the tablet: it's intended pricing. This could be vital following some recent tablet launches such as the Acer Tab 7, which sports similar specs and has been priced around $100.
Samsung Announces Galaxy Tab Lite, Price Not Known is a post from: E-Reader News |
Win 20 Free Amazon Kindle Case with Good e-Reader
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Today Good e-Reader is proud to run another free contest, which anyone in the world can enter. We have 20 Kindle e-Reader cases in three different colors we are giving away! These cases are compatible with all models of the e-reader except the Kindle Keyboard. This new contest is our first YouTube exclusive one and we will be giving away 10 free cases to the first 15 people who Subscribe and comment on our video. We have an extra 5 cases in which we will be giving away at random to anyone who comments after the initial 10. The ones we pick at random will actually be able to decide what color they want, currently we have black, green and blue. In order to enter the contest, simply subscribe to our channel and then comment on the Youtube Video. We will be shipping out the 15 cases as soon as people comment on the video and the extra 5 will be done on Monday! Good Luck.
Win 20 Free Amazon Kindle Case with Good e-Reader is a post from: E-Reader News |
Amazon in Final Negotiations to Start Selling eBooks in Sweden
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eBook availability in Sweden has come a long way since 2007. The country now has most major bestsellers available in digital form the same day the trade edition is released. This has caught Amazon’s attention as the company may start selling eBooks and Kindle e-Readers as early as the Spring. Amazon is in final negotiations with wholesaler Förlagssystem, and Bokrondellen whose database contains all the information about every single Swedish book published. Amazon has also mentioned opening up a fulfillment center in Sweden, which would create hundreds of jobs, this would put political pressure on the publishing companies to accept the Amazon terms. Christer Perslöv, Business Development Manager at Bokrondellen talked a bit about the negotiations “We have been tough – we do not want to give them any advantage over Swedish bookstores.” If negotiations fall through in Sweden, Amazon plans on opening a store anyways, by way of Germany. Their intention is to develop a portal for people to buy traditional books and also digital book and Kindle e-Readers. Amazon in Final Negotiations to Start Selling eBooks in Sweden is a post from: E-Reader News |
Barnes and Noble Starts Selling eBooks in Australia
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Barnes and Noble has announced today that they are starting to sell eBooks and digital magazines in Australia. Sadly, Nook e-Readers and tablets will not be sold there, instead only Windows 8 users who have the Nook app will be able to purchase and read content. The move into Australia will see a number of limited time promotions to get people using the ecosystem right away. The company is giving away five free eBooks and magzines, such as Catch the Zolt: The Debt Instalment One by Phillip Gwynne, Be Careful What You Wish For by Gemma Crisp, The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas, Back to the Pilliga by Tony Parsons and The Fence-Painting Fortnight of Destiny: A Memoir by Meshel Laurie, along with issues of top selling magazines Australian Geographic, GQ, Good Health, Vogue and Taste.com.au Magazine. "We are excited to welcome the NOOK App to Windows 8 in Australia and our customers will really enjoy the free books and magazines, along with all that the NOOK App has to offer. This app is a must for any bookworm and a great escape for summer holiday reading. To get people even more excited about Windows 8 and the NOOK App this summer, Microsoft will be at several major airports around the country at our Windows Lounge showcasing all that Windows 8 can do, including a demonstration of the NOOK App and more information on how to get the free eBooks and magazines to enjoy while traveling and on holiday. The Windows 8 platform has an ever-expanding number of high-quality apps that we're incredibly proud of, and this new addition from NOOK is testament to that." said Melissa Dewick, Product Marketing Manager, Apps and Services at Microsoft Australia. Barnes and Noble tried to expand the Nook empire on their own and ran into a series of logistical and management problems. The Microsoft investment deal into B&N has really spurned their expansion into foreign markets. Currently, over 32 countries now have access to the Windows 8 Nook App and the eBooks can be read in 12 different languages. Barnes and Noble Starts Selling eBooks in Australia is a post from: E-Reader News |
Sylvia Day Defies the Numbers with Most Recent Multi-Digit Book Deal
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It’s quite possible that author Sylvia Day was not one of the survey respondents, as her most recent multi-million dollar book deal would have blown those figures out of the water. Day is one of the reported 2% of traditionally published authors who makes more than $100,000 per year from their book royalties, and her most recent figures from a new deal inked with St. Martin’s Press will add to that statistic. But more important than how much she’s earning as an author is the ability and clout she maintains to be selective in not only her books, but her publishers as well. Following the success of her Crossfire series, publishers came forward to up the ante for future titles. But what industry professionals are overlooking is that Day is not falling victim to the so-called “Fifty Shades” effect, as some believe. Rather than comparing and attributing Day’s success to a book series whose interest is beginning to lag, it certainly seems as though Day’s real genius lies in writing content that her fans clamor for, regardless of the name behind the publisher. After making similar book deals with Harlequin, Penguin, Penguin UK, and a few other publishers for various titles, Day’s most recent deal comes for a new series, “Blacklist.” Interestingly, Day’s books have earned her comparisons to other household name authors, but it’s not so much EL James who is often associated with Day as it is names like James Patterson and Nora Roberts. She’s carving out an entirely new genre of books that basically don’t fit into any single genre, and making quite a success of it.
Sylvia Day Defies the Numbers with Most Recent Multi-Digit Book Deal is a post from: E-Reader News |
New collection lists available!
| Between the recent polar vortex cold temperatures and patron's shiny new gadgets brought by Santa, your OverDrive Digital Library is likely seeing a large boost in new patron registrations, circulations and website activity. To keep up with demand and to help make your Marketplace shopping effortless during this busy time of year, we have created a selection of custom lists that feature fresh, popular, in-demand titles that your patrons are sure to love. When you click the links below, they will show up as a Marketplace search result and you'll be able to easily add them to a cart.
You Collection Development Specialist is always available to help create any recommended lists. Email collectionteam@overdrive.com for more information today! *Some titles are metered access and may have limited regional or platform availability. Check OverDrive Marketplace to find what is available for you.
Rachel Somerville is a Collection Development Analyst at OverDrive.
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Kindle Lost or Stolen? Here’s What You Need to do
| If your Kindle is ever lost or stolen, there are a couple of things that you should do to keep your account safe and free of unwanted charges. The truth is devices like the Kindle that are designed to be taken with you wherever you go can be pretty easy to misplace, especially when kids […] |
How to Fix Wireless Issues with Your Kindle, eReader, or Tablet
| If you’re having problems getting your Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Fire HDX, or any other ebook reader or tablet to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi, here are a few simple fixes that you can try to get your reading device to establish an internet connection. It’s not unusual for a tablet or ereader to suddenly […] |
Norway’s Answer to eBook Lending: Free Books
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According to an article in the Telegraph, over 135,000 books will be available to users inside Norway and to foreign researchers under an agreement with Kopinor, who represents the interests of a number of publishers and their authors. While the books will only be consumable via browser-based reading and not be available for download, a fact that Pubsoft actually claims is the wave of the future of reading, there will not be any of the frustrating checkout limits or wait lists for these titles. One of the key problems that has arisen under US lending and subscription models is that publishers who are willing to take the risk on an experimental lending model have rightly been cautious about participating, often resorting to testing the waters with their backlist or a few midlist titles. However, this program features current works still under copyright from authors like Stephen King and Ken Follett, alongside out-of-print and far older texts. While the revenue agreements will have the National Library paying Kopinor what currently amounts to about two-cents per page of upload (with that funding being shared with the publishers and rights holders), there was no word about where that funding has specifically come from, or if there is a limit on the amount of funding that has been earmarked for this project. With the number of books currently uploaded–minus the 3,500 or so titles that have already been removed at the publishers’ requests–this is by far not an inexpensive project and certainly not one that every government can put in place for its citizens.
Norway’s Answer to eBook Lending: Free Books is a post from: E-Reader News |
Apps Magazine Dedicated to Apps Goes Entirely Digital
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Apps Magazine happens to be one of the most sought after magazines dedicated entirely to apps. Ironically, the magazine had lacked a native digital edition so far, but the leadership behind the magazine has stated they intend to go entirely digital from now on. The company has come up with just a digital clone of the print version, and the new digital versions are available at both the Google Play Store as well as iTunes App Store for £2.99 or $4.99 per issue. There will also be a version available for both the Kindle Fire and Nook range of tablets, which can be picked up from the Amazon and B&N app stores respectively. The magazine carries extensive reviews of all the latest apps along with other features, such as the Top 200 Greatest Apps Ever, a comprehensive list of the best apps from every category. There is also the latest news and developments pertaining to apps, along with interviews with app developers. The magazine also hosts regular contests where users have the chance to win exciting freebies.
Apps Magazine Dedicated to Apps Goes Entirely Digital is a post from: E-Reader News |
Daily Deals and Freebies: Kindle, Nook, and Kobo
| This is the first post of a new daily deals and freebies section that I’ve decided to add to The eBook Reader Blog. Each morning I’ll post a roundup of the daily deal offers for ebooks from Amazon, Kobo, and B&N, along with a couple of hand-picked free ebooks with good reviews. I’ll also include […] |
How to Count Cells with COUNTA
Excel's COUNTA function is a great way to count non-blank cells in your spreadsheets. We'll show you how to use this simple but useful function. |
6 Things Your Tennessee Library Is Trying to Do for You
Think you're making full use of the services your local library offers? You may not be--here are six lesser-known services available at virtually any Tennessee library:
1. Teaching you a new language
The divide in digital language learning is pretty wide. On the one hand, software like Rosetta Stone provides all the tools necessary—and costs around $500. On the other, free websites exist for learning everything from Spanish to Esperanto, but their overall usefulness is hit-or-miss. Enter the Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL, tntel.info), which this year added Gale's PowerSpeak Language tool to its vast array of holdings.
PowerSpeak is a multimedia language learning center with an available (but not required!) sign-in feature. It offers lessons in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese, and Korean, along with English for speakers of Spanish and Mandarin. Rumor has it that other languages are being considered as well. The only downside is that this is a Flash-based system, so i-device users are out of luck.
In addition to TEL's offering, R.E.A.D.S. provides audiobook and eBook texts which can be downloaded from home, and the library's print collection also includes print and audio texts for a multitude of languages.
2. Providing safe technology for your children
My pre-reading daughter is pretty tech-savvy, and I've seen hear tear her way through YouTube without even being able to activate the voice search system. So it's safe to say I'm a little frightened of what she can find on the Internet. The solution turned out to be simple, and it just took a little help from TEL.
The TEL4u portal (tel4u.org) is designed with K-5 students in mind. I added a bookmark to my browser, set my homepage to something that requires reading and isn't link-intensive (Google worked just fine), and my daughter now has a safe Internet portal. While this solution doesn't preclude parental supervision, I rest easy knowing that she's much less likely to find something age-inappropriate when my back is turned.
TEL4u combines links to kids' sections of standard TEL databases (World Book's Early World of Learning is great!) with links to safe sites like PBS Kids and National Geographic for Kids. It's good for entertainment as well as research for elementary school projects.
Many libraries also carry CD audiobooks, Playaway audiobooks, and Playaway View video players for children. These devices can help keep kids entertained on long road trips, and they're educational to boot.
3. Helping you keep up with your field of interest
The idea of the library as a repository of old books is outdated. While many of these books still grace the shelves, libraries have found ways to keep up with the times. Print magazines and newspapers have their place in the buildings, but a vast treasure is available online.
Gale databases available through TEL provide current periodicals, including trade journals, newspapers, and news and entertainment magazines. Many of these are current to the previous issue, and most contain full-text articles. Considering the cost of buying an annual subscription to many of these periodicals—and getting little or no access to the archives—there's no real reason not to take advantage of this service. Gale's PowerSearch even offers to add search results or publication updates to an RSS feed or a regular email. It's just like getting it delivered to your computer.
4. Learning your family history
Interest in genealogy has spiked recently, spurred on by online databases likeancestry.com. Many Tennessee libraries offer in-house access to Ancestry, but several resources are available regardless of which library you call home. ProQuest's HeritageQuest Online database, available through TEL, brings millions of census records and other sources to you for no charge. The state has also partnered with Ancestry to place certain Tennessee records online and open to state residents.
While online searches are great for starting, though, a good genealogist knows that some things are only available in print. Libraries around the state have holdings relating to their area, and many hold manuscripts that have never been indexed and do not exist anywhere else in the world. If your heritage ever took a turn through Tennessee, the library local to the family home should be a stop on your search.
5. Studying for that police officer exam…or ASVAB…or SAT…or…
A core value of the local library is assisting in the education and welfare of the community. But most patrons only take advantage of the educational benefits while in school. Library shelves are full of books to help adults with math or reading, and study guides for common tests like the GED, ACT, and ASVAB are among the most-bought books for libraries.
Of course, these books are also among the most-stolen in libraries. Digital versions are available on TEL, through the LearningExpress Library. This database offers current test prep materials in both eBook and online course formats, all available 24/7. A simple sign-up is required, but it's worth it for study materials ranging from 4th grade math and reading through post-graduate placement tests. Professional certification preparation is available as well, in fields such as cosmetology, medicine, real estate, and civil service.
6. Helping write your résumé
Gale's Career Transitions database is one of TEL's newest tools, and it provides several tools for those between jobs or looking to improve their careers. One of the best tools available is a free online résumé creator. Creating an account is optional, but it provides the ability to make changes to a résumé from anywhere with access to Career Transitions (which includes anywhere in Tennessee).
Many library computers also include Microsoft Word, which also has a résumé wizard available. For those unfamiliar with this program, many libraries also host computer classes, providing needed skills to anyone in the community for free.
TEL resources available at tntel.info
R.E.A.D.S. materials at reads.lib.overdrive.com
DBW Buzzwords, Interview with Tim O’Reilly
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The buzzwords this year were direct-to-consumer book sales, ebook subscriptions, and marketing and discovery. Whereas D2C was a large focus at last year’s Digital Book World Conference as well, the process then seemed to be to get publishers to create their own branded webstores to sell their titles; it didn’t take off, largely because getting readers to remember at least the title and author is enough, but asking them to remember the publisher in order to buy directly was a little too much. eBook subscriptions were a major discussion point this year, especially with the growth of Oyster and Scribd, but the inherent problems with the model came up a lot, namely that libraries are already offering ebook lending without the monthly fee. Finally, the ever-important book discovery was another often discussed topic, with very interesting data points presented in a number of panels. Good e-Reader sat down with Tim O’Reilly, CEO of O’Reilly media, to ask his thoughts on some of these buzzwords. Given his experience with subscription ebooks through Safari Books, O’Reilly explained where some of the reluctance to adopt even the current models comes from. “One reason they didn't pick up, I think, was people couldn't figure out if the math word work, the math on revenue. The way we do it on Safari is we take your subscription and say, 'What books did you read?' We've gone to a very extensive percent-based model, times the price. If you consumed one book and you paid us for the month, all of the revenue gets attributed to that one book. If you read a hundred books, that revenue gets spread [to the publishers] across those one hundred books. Each one will get one percent of the revenue. “What we've found in general is that the revenue per book from Safari is actually comparable or higher than the revenue of an actual sale. One of the things that's also true about pricing of books is that people buy more than they read. Isn't that true of print too? How many books do you buy and never read, or buy them and read a little bit. If we held print to the same standards that we hold digital to, getting trust in the math is the biggest thing that holds people back from the model.” O’Reilly also presented a keynote earlier in the conference on book discovery, and he holds that one of the largest factors in book promotion is still the sense of community that readers have around a particular title or author. He explained in the interview, referencing his keynote, that author John Green has an incredible community of fans because he’s actively engaged not only with his own readers, but with other authors, in a similar way as his YouTube channels has helped launch other YouTube channels through support and features. “John Green is doing what we all need to be doing,” O’Reilly said. Overall, the energy that events like this bring forward into publishing make this yet again an exciting time to be in the book business. The consensus–stated repeatedly–was that the ebook revolution has only just begun, and that the rate of change taking place is faster than it ever has been. “There's a lot to learn, a lot to experiment with.”
DBW Buzzwords, Interview with Tim O’Reilly is a post from: E-Reader News |
Poster competition update #2
| Here, for your edification, are hundreds more of the posters you made as entries to our poster competition. This slideshow contains most of the posters you sent us by email. We’ve lingered on each poster for under two seconds so we could get through them all in less than ten minutes: if you want a closer look, hit the pause button! Clive is lying under a tsunami of paperwork, preparing for BETT next week, so he did not have time to extract images from about 60 posters we were sent by email that came in non-standard image formats. If yours was a ppt, doc, pdf or pub file (we had some other…curious…formats as well), I’m afraid we haven’t been able to include it in this slideshow: but if you sent us a poster by email before the deadline, you will be receiving a Pi even if you can’t see your poster here. Everybody who entered gets a Raspberry Pi kit. Some of the posters were so imaginative and so well-executed that we’ll be choosing a favourite each and rewarding them with a little extra something: we’ll let you know which ones we select next week. We’ll be basing some tutorials and real-life projects on some of the ideas you sent us too. Thank you so much to everybody who entered; we’ve really enjoyed going through the posters! |
Kids’ Tablet Usage on the Rise in the UK
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We have earlier come across reports of half of the adults in the UK to own a tablet device though the kids too aren’t too far off, new studies have revealed. A recent survey by uSwitch.com has found that more than a quarter of kids, or 27 percent to be precise below the age of 8 now having a tablet of their own. If that sound to be too small an age to be introduced to tablet computing, here is some more food for thought: about 10 percent of kids below 2 years have had a taste of touchscreen operations. The figure goes up to 17 percent for those aged between 2-3 years to be introduced to touchscreen based operations. Tablet devices were a big hit during the Christmas and were the most preferred gifting option during the last holiday season. Another trend that became evident was that it was the relatively cheaper Android devices that seemed to be more in favor than Apple's iPad. With tablets increasingly becoming common in UK households, it is only but natural for the kids to be introduced to these from very early in their life. Couple that to the ease of use that the tablet devices have come to be known for and what you have is the perfect scenario for tablets to increasingly become an integral part of a kid's growing-up process. With tablets in their hands, kids also pose several risks if there aren't enough parental controls in place. Take the instance of 12 percent kids reported to have made in-app purchases much before reaching the legal age of doing so. Nevertheless, what seems evident is that there is no way parents can keep their kids totally alienated from tablet devices for long. What is needed therefore is a pragmatic approach towards kids and their exposure to tablet devices.
Kids’ Tablet Usage on the Rise in the UK is a post from: E-Reader News |
Simon & Schuster Demands Libraries Start Selling eBooks
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Simon & Schuster was the last major publisher that resisted the sirens call establishing relationships with libraries in the US. Penguin-Random House, Hachette and many others have most of their catalog available and library patrons can checkout audiobooks, eBooks and magazines. Today, Simon & Schuster has expanded upon a limited pilot project that started in New York and will now start distributing titles on a wider scale. Simon & Schuster has selected 31 public libraries in the OverDrive network to participate. The pilot program provides access to front-list titles from Simon & Schuster such as Dr. Sleep by Stephen King, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin, The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman and many more. Other notable authors now available to library patrons include Glenn Beck, Cassandra Clare, Kresley Cole, Rachel Renée Russell and Brad Thor. Part of the new deal with Overdrive is to make libraries offer a Buy it Now button on their online websites. When patrons visit the online portal to see what digital titles are available there will be a button next to S&S titles to instantly purchase the book. Digital titles are very much akin to their tangible counterparts, where popular titles often have long wait times. S&S and Overdrive are betting on people not wanting to wait and make a purchase. S&S mandated that the only way they would participate in contributing their titles to libraries in the US, was that if 3M, Overdrive and Baker & Taylor developed systems that would give people a buying decision. This is in effect blackmailing libraries to either start acting as an online bookstore or you won’t be able to get a wide array of tittles. You can thank Penguin for first introducing the Buy it Now button that started at the New York Public Library. I spoke to Christopher Platt, the Director of Collection & Circulation Operations at NYPL who said at the time “Buying eBooks is not looking to disrupt the traditional bookstore experience. It's about giving our patrons more freedoms." Publishers demanding libraries start selling eBooks is setting a dangerous president. Libraries are publicly funded entities because they serve the community, if they start selling eBooks or opt into the program to start doing it, it could influence public perception on what exactly libraries are doing in 2014. Simon & Schuster Demands Libraries Start Selling eBooks is a post from: E-Reader News |
Simon & Schuster and OverDrive launch pilot program at public libraries
| Today, Simon & Schuster and OverDrive announced that the full catalog of Simon & Schuster eBooks are in pilot at 31 OverDrive partner public libraries in the United States. The titles are available for lending, as well as for purchase by readers through the Library BIN platform. As part of the pilot, each eBook purchased for lending can be checked out an unlimited number of times on a one copy/one user basis for a period of 12 months. Alternately, readers can purchase the eBook directly through the library website, in which case the library will receive an affiliate fee. Simon & Schuster's full catalog of frontlist and backlist titles is eligible for the program, with all new titles available simultaneous with publication. FAQ about the pilot program: Q: How were the participating libraries chosen? A: All pilot library and market availability decisions were strictly made by Simon & Schuster Q: What are the conditions for inclusion in the program? A: Pilot libraries were required to offer the Library "Buy It Now" (BIN) link on their OverDrive digital collections page to participate. Q: Will these titles be made available to more libraries and markets soon? A: Simon & Schuster indicated that if the program is successful with the pilot group, they will consider adding additional libraries and markets in the coming months.
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Google Introduces Google Play Movies and TV Shows on iOS Devices
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In what can be considered as a boon to those who rely more on cross-platform apps and services, Google has made available another of its service, Google Play Movies and TV on iOS. This will enable users of the iPad and iPhone to play back movies and TV shows that they have bought from the Google Play Store. However, while the above development can be considered to be one in the right direction, there still are a few issues to be wary of. These include the inability to playback movies when offline or on the go. This since the new app only supports streaming over a wi-fi connection and won't sync to allow playback in offline mode. This no doubt can dent the prospect of the Google service against Apple's own iTunes that allows both offline playback and video streaming while on the go. In addition, there also is the restriction of in app purchase which is understandable considering this would entitle Apple to seek a share of all sales made. All these issues notwithstanding, the app looks almost the same as their Android counterpart. Further, the movies downloaded quickly enough while the quality too is top notch. In any case, the new app that enables Google Play Movies and TV Shows to be viewed on iOS devices can still be a boon to those who have invested considerably on Google Play Movies and related media ecosystem. For movie buffs, Apple's own iTunes still steals a march over the Google service so far as iOS devices are concerned.
Google Introduces Google Play Movies and TV Shows on iOS Devices is a post from: E-Reader News |
First Time Authors Normally Get a $10, 000 Advance from a Major Publishing Company
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Getting inked to a major publishing company is something all authors dream about doing. First time authors normally have no clue on what the average advance is for their debut book or the first edition in a series. Many authors have come out recently to give an indication on what they are making. Wendy Higgins who was recently signed to Harper Collins said “The day my first agent told me the publisher was going to make an offer I remember his exact words. My agent said, “Now, don’t go thinking you’re going to be able to buy a beach house.” He then told me to try and stay grounded and focus on my family. So I braced myself. And he was right. There would be no beach house purchasing. Shortly after my offer was made I came across a conversation on Goodreads that made me laugh. Some readers were discussing upcoming books and they mentioned one new author who was given over $100K for her book. The reason this was funny to me is because I knew that author and I knew her deal was about the same as mine. I got a $10,000 advance for my first book. Not horrible for a brand new author, but not $100K either. The average author does not get a huge advance like that.” New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Brandewyne weighed in on how much author advances are “An author signing a first contract can expect to receive an advance of anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000, on average, per book. Naturally, there are exceptions to this rule. However, it would be unwise and unrealistic with regard to your financial planning to assume you will be that rare, unknown author who garners a multimillion-dollar advance. So, let us say the author receives a $10,000 advance, for a single book. That means the author would subsequently need to earn $10,000 in royalties from the sales of that book before receiving any additional income from it.” Rachelle Gardner is a Literary Agent with Books and Such, she mentioned “A typical first-timer advance might be anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 per book. Most publishers offer the advance they project your book will earn back in the first six to twelve months after publication. Of course, many books don’t earn out during that time, but if you don’t earn back your advance in the first year, your publisher might not be falling all over themselves to publish you again.” Jeaniene Frost is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of the Night Huntress series. She weighed in by saying “Across the board for fiction in all genres, including both small and large publishing houses, the average advance for a new author for a first book is $5,000.00 to 10,000.00. Out of that, if the author has an agent, 15% commission is shaves right off the top. Then, as an author, you're often encouraged to get a website. The average starting cost of a basic website, if you're not technically-inclined yourself, is $1,000.00 (and can go way up from there). After that, you have the cost of self-promotion, which can include attending a conference, investing in promotional items, or doing a mailing. As we can see from many authors and agents the average first time author is projected to earn around $10,000 for their new book. After you pay your agent and invest in promotion, there isn’t much left over. Authors have to ground themselves and realize what the industry pays for people who aren’t on television and are not famous. First Time Authors Normally Get a $10,000 Advance from a Major Publishing Company is a post from: E-Reader News |
