| e Ink has just unveiled their new corporate headquarters in the US, which puts their business and R&D divisions all under one roof. The new facility is a modern, open and collaborative space, labs, pilot facilities, test chambers and administrative offices, all under one roof. The company was previously headquartered in Cambridge. The new E Ink Innovation Center represents a $36 million investment, is over 140,000 square feet, can hold up to 400 employees and reinforces E Ink's position as a leading technological business innovator in Massachusetts. E Ink was just awarded the Silver Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Award by the MassEcon council for its outstanding contribution to the Massachusetts economy. The new HQ basically is double the size has the old buildings and should help the company facilitate growth into digital signage. "The additional space will support E Ink's growth and expansion into new markets, and will foster a more creative and collaborative environment for our employees," said Felix Ho, CEO of E Ink Holdings. "Our new facility in Billerica was specifically designed with our technology needs in mind and offers us significantly more space. It gives our employees a dynamic and energizing working environment while allowing us to invest in the Massachusetts economy, growing our business where it all started." E Ink Opens New US Corporate Headquarters is a post from: E-Reader News |
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
E Ink Opens New US Corporate Headquarters
David Beckham Offering Digital Autographed Copies of his New Book via Facebook
| Retired soccer star David Beckham is eager to get into doing what most authors do to engage with their readers; roll out signed copies of his photo book that is set to be launched next week. However, this will be a lot unlike the way the above feat is pulled off in the traditional manner where readers get to meet the authors in person while the latter pens his signature on a real paper book. Instead, it will be advanced technology at work here, or rather 'groundbreaking technology', as Beckham has described it. The role of technology will be crucial here with the entire event having being planned in collaboration with Facebook. “In partnership with Facebook, I want to do a truly global signing to coincide with the launch of my new book,” said Beckham. “If you are in London, New York, Sao Paulo, or Hyderabad, you can enter to win a ticket to take part in these events and receive a personalized digital signature from me via ground-breaking technology.” Fans eager to have the new Photo Book will need to register or be physically present in any of the above mentioned cities on October 30, London time. Not only do they stand to win a free digital autograph of the soccer star but can also engage in a live Q&A session with Beckham. However, with technology perhaps being as much in the limelight as the footballer himself, what remains to be seen is whether the same aura and feel is created as getting the chance to meet your favorite author who puts some real ink on real paper. Plus, getting the chance to spend some time with the author whose writings you adore the most can be something of a once-in-a-lifetime experience with the book bearing his or her personal signature that will serve as a reminder of those cherished moments. Maybe Beckham's book signing event will not be able to evoke the same kind of romanticism though there sure will be no lack of takers for the star player's digital autograph.
David Beckham Offering Digital Autographed Copies of his New Book via Facebook is a post from: E-Reader News |
Multi-language support for your website
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Hundreds of libraries worldwide have enhanced their websites with Spanish, French (Canadian), Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, or Japanese translations. More languages will be available later this year and in early 2014, including Russian and Malay.
If your library is not taking advantage of the bilingual (or multilingual) interface, you are missing out on a remarkable opportunity to extend your services to a segment of your community who may have never borrowed an eBook or audiobook.
Katie Norton, Manager of Collections & Information Services at Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation in Australia, says that her library is unique in that it has a Chinese-speaking population significantly higher than the Australian average. With the Simplified Chinese interface, she's reaching users for the first time, and engaging them in their native language. Does your library have an under-served population that would benefit from this free and easy-to-add feature?
Don't forget that we can help with your marketing endeavors, including resources for reaching this new user base. In our Marketing Kit, we have a variety of promotional materials for your non-English titles. We can also place a graphic on your site to highlight a collection of foreign language materials. Check out Yarra Libraries' "Chinese eBooks" collection for an example.
Yarra Libraries experienced an almost 30% increase in checkouts in the months following the addition of the Simplified Chinese translations.
Maybe you're thinking that your community isn't the type that would benefit from a multilingual site. As Dan from Oil Creek District Library Center in Pennsylvania put it: "I do feel compelled to at least offer it to our patrons, even if it is just to explore!" Why not do the same at your library? It may have a bigger impact than you think—and it's free!
To opt-in for a bilingual or multilingual website, please contact your Account Specialist.
Karen Jakubczak is an Account Specialist at OverDrive.
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Apple Unveils the iPad Mini 2 with Retina Display
| When the original Apple iPad Mini came out one of the most asked for hardware features was a retina display. I can’t tell you how many emails and comments on our videos got the “I have an iPad and will skip this until they come out with a Retina Display.” It looks like Apple has heard their pleas and announced a new 7.9 inch iPad Mini with a resolution of 2048×1536 that matches the larger iPad. The Retina display actually made the iPad Mini a bit thicker measuring in at 7.5 mm thick and 0.73 pounds compared to 7.2 millimeters and 0.68 pounds for the first generation. Underneath the hood the Retina iPad mini includes a 64-bit A7 processor, M7 motion co-processor, and an upgraded 5-megapixel rear iSight camera with a backside illumination sensor. It will be able to totally render videos in full and glorious 1080p. The front of the device now features a new FaceTime HD camera and has dual microphones. This should give users who use video and audio programs such as BBM a reason to upgrade. The new iPad mini also now features multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) technology that offers up to 2x faster Wi-Fi, with both 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and LTE cellular models that available with up to 10 hours of battery life. The new model is poised to launch next month and will start at $399, the LTE version should launch a few weeks later. Apple Unveils the iPad Mini 2 with Retina Display is a post from: E-Reader News |
Apple Announces New iPad Air
| Today at an Apple event in San Francisco the new 5th generation iPad was revealed with the iPad Air. The new tablet resembles the iPad Mini with a narrower bezel and slim form factor. It is 20% thinner and 28% lighter than the 4th generation device issued last year. The Apple iPad Air features a 9.7 inch display with a staggering resolution of 2048×1536. It has an upgraded 64 bit A7 processor and M7 motion coprocessor, which takes advantage of the new architecture we saw on the iPhone 5S. There is also a new lighting system that has been implemented to allow you to read in darker environments without it hurting your eyes. The iPad Air weighs 1 pound, compared with 1.4 pounds for the previous version. Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller called the tablet a “screaming fast iPad.” He said it is eight times faster than the original iPad that came out in 2010. The iPad Air will be available in silver and white and space grey and black color options starting at $499 in dozens of countries on November 1st. An LTE version will be available starting at $629. Apple is also keeping the geriatric iPad 2 in the lineup for $399. All of the new iPads will be shipping with iOS 7. I think as an e-Reader the new Apple iPad Air will be very solid. It weighs less, so you can hold it with one hand for longer. Better resolution will insure that companies like Comixology will be able to deliver digital comics in HD and enhanced kids eBooks will see a significant upgrade. Apple Announces New iPad Air is a post from: E-Reader News |
B&N Develops Innovative App for Non-Profit One Laptop Per Child
| One Laptop per Child (OLPC), the global children's educational non-profit born at the MIT Media Lab, and Nook Media, the device division of Barnes and Noble, announced a partnership that will pre-install a special variant of the Nook apps on OLPC’s US-based XO tablet devices. These devices are part of OLPC’s global initiative to put technology in the hands of young students. "By partnering with One Laptop per Child, we are strengthening our commitment to make NOOK content available to new and existing customers across a broad range of platforms and devices," said Mike Saturnia, Vice President and General Manager of NOOK Sales & Business Development. "Through the pre-installed NOOK App for Kids on the XO Tablet, we are opening NOOK's expansive catalog of more than 3 million titles to even more families and children." The Nook App for Kids will let the users browse through a catalog of curated content, while the installed Nook app will also offer their parents access to the 30 million title catalog of the Nook store. These are installed on OLPC’s child-centric learning system tablet, available at Walmart, Walmart.com, Target.com, Toys"R"Us, ToysRUs.com, BrandsMart, BrandsMartUSA.com and OfficeDepot.com for $149.99. OLPC still supports its laptop initiative in developing countries by donating uniquely designed portable laptops that meet the sometimes nearly-impossible needs of children attending school around the world. Known for its original “Give One Get One” program that let consumers receive a laptop and donate one all for one price, OLPC’s tablet move with the XO tablet is aimed at helping students in the US become better learners and have access to course-changing technology.
B&N Develops Innovative App for Non-Profit One Laptop Per Child is a post from: E-Reader News |
Inkling Adds Content from Open Air Publishing to its Catalog
| Digital textbook and non-fiction learning developer Inkling announced an acquisition of two brands of content from Open Air Publishing, adding its Betterbook and Ready, Set, Baby! and titles to Inkling’s offerings. "Open Air Publishing has become a leader in interactive publishing, and we've watched these brands blossom on our platform over the last few years," said Matt MacInnis, Founder and CEO of Inkling, in a press release. "These award-winning titles show the power of Inkling for consumer content, and we're excited to have them be a part of our portfolio directly for consumers." "I'm proud of what our innovative team has built these past two years, along with our outstanding authors and on-video experts," continued Jon Feldman, Founder and CEO of Open Air Publishing. "Now, with direct access to the underlying technologies that made our innovations possible, our media-rich and engaging learning content will benefit from Inkling's deeper resources to reach even more people." Both companies have several year histories of providing award-winning content to digital learners through interactive, enhanced, app-based products. This tie-in will enable both partners to offer fully integrated content to an even wider audience of users.
Inkling Adds Content from Open Air Publishing to its Catalog is a post from: E-Reader News |
BlackBerry Messenger Makes Phased Launch, Newcomers Being Added to Virtual Line
| BlackBerry has resumed its BBM services starting today, a few weeks after the company was forced to abort its initial roll out plan when an older version of the same got released in September, causing several issues. However, stung by the initial debacle, BlackBerry is holding on to the reins this time and has barred the service from being free to all right away. As such, it will be only those who signed up at the BBM site who will be getting to use the app right now on their Android smartphones or iPhone. Others who wish to use the service will be added to a virtual queue, though the Canadian company didn't reveal how long they will be kept waiting, except that they won't be kept waiting for too long. "To help manage this unprecedented pent-up demand for BBM, we are implementing a simple line-up system to ensure a smooth rollout,” said Andrew Bocking, head of the BlackBerry BBM business, in a blog post on the official company website. About 6 million users signed up at the company's BBM site and are rewarded by getting to use the service before others. “If you are among the millions that took the time to sign up at BBM.com, you can start using BBM immediately without waiting in line. If you didn’t sign up in advance, don’t worry – we are focused on moving millions of customers through the line as fast as possible,” said Bocking. BBM has been one of the star attractions of the Canadian company, one that had driven millions into buying their handsets in the past. Times have changed, though with BlackBerry handsets now facing a steep decline in sales worldwide. This has left the company deeply wounded, and experts believe the launch of the BlackBerry Messenger on a rival platform could be a last ditch attempt by the company to help stem the tide. There have also been reports of the company being put up for sale, but earlier rumors had said the company’s executives preferred to split it into several parts before offering it for sale. With BBM looking to acquire a separate identity, this could well be the case. Meanwhile, BBM will have to face stiff competition from others who have already dug deep. These include WhatsApp, Viber, and Skype, as well as Kik, who has developed a dedicated user base that runs into tens of millions. It will be interesting to see what the equation will be now that BBM has entered the scene.
BlackBerry Messenger Makes Phased Launch, Newcomers Being Added to Virtual Line is a post from: E-Reader News |
Blue Pi Thinking from the University of York
| The University of York asked if we could send someone up to judge a Raspberry Pi contest they’d been running for people joining the Computer Science department over the summer break. Our very own Dr Gordon Hollingworth is a York alumnus, so we sent him to revisit his old stomping grounds (in one of his collection of stylish Raspberry Pi t-shirts – you can buy your own at the Swag Store). Freshers were given a Raspberry Pi when they won a place at the university back in August, and had been spending the time before arriving in York working on two challenges. Blue Pi Thinking challenged them to come up with the most creative use of the Pi they could think of; and BattlePi had them programming their Pis to beat all other entrants in a class-wide Battleships competition. Gordon mailed me from his phone while he was there: “I’m amazed by the quantity and quality of entries and the way they’re working together to improve their code as they go through the Battle Pi part of the contest… I sat down with one guy who was trying to find out why his code had crashed in the middle of a game, and then while describing it to his opponent he suddenly saw the problem! (I obviously explained at this point why people do code reviews!)” Here’s some video from the day. We’re incredibly impressed at what people were producing; we hope that some of the participants will find time to write their projects up and share them with us. The eagle-eyed will spot Liam Fraser, one of our earliest and most helpful supporters, in one of the shots. Liam moved to Cambridge after his A levels and spent last year as a gap year working for our hosts, Mythic Beasts, on the back of his work on the Pi; he’s been maintaining our downloads server too. He’s now headed off to study at York. We’ll miss him while he’s away – we hope you enjoy your time at university, Liam! |
New Updated Nook Touch Shows up at FCC; Nook HD on Sale for $69
| Yesterday what appears to be an updated Nook Touch turned up on the FCC’s website. Details are very sparse at this point, but at least it’s good to finally see some conformation that there is indeed a new Nook ereader in the works after all. Barnes and Noble has hinted as much in recent months, […] |
Monday, October 21, 2013
Overdrive Attains 9,000 eBooks from Macmillan
| Macmillan and Overdrive reached an agreement earlier in the year to experiment with eBooks into the library system. The deal was select titles from their Minotaur imprint and it looks like all sides were happy with the deal. This has prompted Macmillan to contribute close to 9,000 digital titles for entry into the Overdrive system. Most of the eBooks available are considered backlist titles, which means they are older and have been around awhile. Still, library patrons will still be able to read stuff by Emily Giffin, Robert Jordan and Janet Evanovich. These new additions will carry the same terms as current Macmillan titles: 52 checkouts or two years, whichever comes first. Libraries that want to purchase these titles can now do so via the Overdrive Marketplace. Overdrive Attains 9,000 eBooks from Macmillan is a post from: E-Reader News |
Sony 13.3 Inch e-Reader Begins Trials in Japan
| The new Sony PRS-T3 e-Reader may be a bit underwhelming but the one device that everyone wants, is not commercially available. The Sony 13.3 e-Reader was unveiled at the SID Display Week conference in Vancouver, BC and we had comprehensive hands on with the next generation e-Reader. There has been zero news regarding this device for the last four months but we now have confirmation that it is being tested at three Japanese Universities. The Three Universities are Waseda, Ritsumeikan, Housei and are scheduled to start pilot tests for the commercialization of the product. These schools will all be getting free devices direct from Sony to beta test the devices and to see if they will be the right fit for academia. The 13.3 inch screen is beguiling to behold and you would figure from looking at it that it would weigh significantly more than the Kindle DX. In truth it weighs only 12.6 oz, compared to the Kindle DX, which weighs a hefty 18.9 oz. The main attraction is using the active digitizer and interacting with complex PDF documents. You can edit documents by jotting down your own handwritten notes, or even highlight passages to go back to later. The large screen display will simply give you the best PDF experience you have ever had on an e-reader. I have personally reviewed over 83 different e-readers since launching Good e-Reader in 2009, and this was the first one to give me a quality PDF experience. I have received emails from airline pilots, heads of research divisions, and publishers about what device they should buy to read their PDF Files. I would implore everyone to buy this Sony one when it comes out; it changes the game. I don't normally gush about things like this, but when it comes to school, work, newspapers, gaming guides, and technical PDF documents, this is solid.
Sony 13.3 Inch e-Reader Begins Trials in Japan is a post from: E-Reader News |
New Color e-Reader being Developed in Finland
| A new Color e-Reader is being developed by five media companies based in Finland. Their intention is to offer a low cost device that can be charged via solar power and used primarily for the consumption of newspapers. There is a beta test beginning in November that will see the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper being delivered by their new cloud infrastructure. Antti Korhonen of Leia Media confirmed to Good e-Reader that they are using the e Ink Triton 2 display screen on their device. It features a 9.7 inch screen and has a resolution of 1600×1200 pixels. One of the new things this reader has going for it is the solar cell battery. It will be able to recharge in direct or ambient light and this is currently the only way you can charge the device. It is also being billed as a waifer thin device in comparison to the Ectaco Jetbook Color, with dimensions of 203 x 250 x 6 mm. “We would like to find out whether the physical newspaper can be replaced by a reading device delivered with the subscription”, said Santtu Parkkonen, Producer, Helsingin Sanomat development. It will be interesting to see how this pilot project fairs due to the sheer amount of companies whose hands are in the cookie jar. Leia Media, Sanoma News, Bluegiga, Anygraaf and DNA have all developed this device an contributed technology. New Color e-Reader being Developed in Finland is a post from: E-Reader News |
Macmillan adds over 9,000 titles to OverDrive Marketplace
| Macmillan has added 9,300 eBook titles to their existing offerings available for library lending in OverDrive Marketplace. These titles, which can include best sellers from Matthew Quick, Bill O'Reilly, Janet Evanovich and many others, will be available to add to your library collection later today.
According to Macmillan's Sales Division President, Alison Lazarus, "Macmillan is increasing our title selection to include all of our backlist e-books." She added, "Essentially anything published 12 months ago or longer will be made available for eLending. This expansion of approximately 9,300 titles includes many requested books and we will continue to add backlist books as they become eligible on a monthly basis."
While we have long carriNight by Elie Wieseled many of these titles in the audiobook format, eBook titles you can now find in OverDrive Marketplace include:
These new additions will carry the same terms as current Macmillan titles: 52 checkouts or two years, whichever comes first.
Adam Sockel is a Marketing Communications Specialist with OverDrive
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Can The Book Genome Project Solve the Riddle of Categorizing eBooks?
 Graphic courtesy of censoredtshirts.com The anger over the decision by several retailers to stop carrying self-published titles continues to rage, as it is even extending to authors whose books were not even remotely close to the adult nature of titles that stores like WHSmith and Whitcoulls railed against. Authors have taken to launching change.org petitions and their social media platforms to vent and try to compensate. But today, an article by Aaron Stanton for Digital Book World may provide the answers to how to categorize ebooks to ensure the safety of online shoppers–especially underaged readers–while also offering consumers more detailed information about the type and level of content within the virtual pages of a book. This type of tool also helps authors, both traditionally and self-published, pull their books from relative obscurity by helping them become more searchable. By analyzing a scene-by-scene play of each of the 40,000 to 100,000 books per week that the project tracks, the tools and metrics are able to give a fairly accurate portrayal of the sexual content within a book. That data can then be compared to the category listing of the book, so that a middle grade title, for example, would be flagged if there was too much sexual content or mature themes within the story. According to the article, “From our perspective, we're mostly interested in whether or not a book is in the right category. As Erotica, this graph wouldn't have raised an eyebrow, but if it had been misclassified as Juvenile Fiction we would certainly have flagged it. To give you an example that's more specific to this topic, here's a graphic showing the sexual content of one of the objectionable books identified by The Kernal as being for sale at Amazon, called Daddy's Invisible Condom. This book was flagged as both Erotica and Incest by our automated tools.” While the project team has been busy creating this type of identifier, it’s hopefully not a case of too-little, too-late for the self-publishing industry. There’s also the matter of convincing ebook retailers to use this option and to display the results, but it’s far more palatable than simply erasing authors’ work.
Can The Book Genome Project Solve the Riddle of Categorizing eBooks? is a post from: E-Reader News |
We Know Where Publishing Has Been, But Where Can It Go from Here?
 Photo courtesy of ebookbotics.com A commentary piece by Kirsti Knolle came through the Reuters wire today, and it was jam packed with a lot of information that the industry already knows. It proves the point that we’re really good at observing what is actually taking place around us and we’re even better at discussing ad nauseum the things that have already happened. But where are the people who can tell us where publishing is headed? There is a job for these people, these aptly-named book futurists, and they’re out there making their predictions and projections. People like David Houle and Kristen McLean attend various conference and make insightful speeches, and then they are left asking those in attendance the very same questions they asked at that very same event, only a year before. And probably the year before that. One thing that Knolle’s article only touches on and is vital to the continuing growth of the publishing industry is better access to data. Right now, book data is a tight-lipped secret, guarded over and only discussed in closed door meetings. But how can an entire industry adapt to shifts and changes and fall in line with solid predictions, when no one is willing to share the information right in front of them? It’s good to know that, according to Knolle’s article, one thing hasn’t changed: we still hate Amazon. I’m not sure why and I’m not even sure that most other people know why, but we do. They’re too big, but more importantly, they’re too radical. They do crazy things like let everyone publish a book, they pay their traditional authors monthly instead of quarterly…heck, their CEO even bought a newspaper at a time when print news media is fighting to go digital. We fear them for the changes they bring about across the publishing spectrum, and we hate them for being a disruptor. One thing that Knolle does make clear throughout the piece is that eventually authors and publishers are going to come around to the idea that it really is all about the readers. Social reading is on the rise and fan interaction with authors via social media is becoming more and more commonplace. Readers are even developing a semi-brand loyalty to publishing houses and imprints, knowing what kind of content to expect from the brand. The true powerhouse driving publishing is slowly emerging as the reader. Wherever the publishing industry ends up, both in the near future and the far, only one thing is certain: it won’t look a thing like it does now.
We Know Where Publishing Has Been, But Where Can It Go from Here? is a post from: E-Reader News |
Brussels Vote Might Eliminate the VAT on eBooks in the UK
| The EU is having a vote in Brussels this week that might have a reverberating effect on the taxing of eBooks. The UK has no VAT fee when it comes to buying paperbacks or hardcovers but eBooks are subject to a 20% VAT fee. This has prompted companies like Kobo and Amazon to operate in Luxembourg where the VAT is only 3%. The new vote could feasibility eliminate the VAT on digital books and put them on par with the ones found in bookstores. Experts said abolishing the rate could cut the price of an eBook by £1 or more if booksellers such as WH Smith and Amazon pass on the savings. Books are considered to be an essential contribution to society and the booksellers industry say there is no distinction between the tangible and intangible. 'Most of the EU countries are frustrated by the VAT differences on eBooks. The Polish presidency could end up delivering UK readers a real boost whilst levelling the playing field for the region's digital industries,' said Richard Asquith, head of tax at business adviser TMF Group. The goal with this vote is to harmonize the VAT rate on eBooks across the entire EU. Many different countries already charge their own VAT rate for digital books, France is at 5%, Luxembourg at 3% at the UK at 20%. Brussels Vote Might Eliminate the VAT on eBooks in the UK is a post from: E-Reader News |
Good e-Reader Radio – Erotica Self-Pub Statistics, New Nook, Apple iPad News
| Welcome back to another edition of the Good e-Reader Radio Show! Today Michael Kozlowski of Good e-Reader and Jeremy Greenfield of Digital Book World regale you with tales of eBooks, e-Readers, Tablets and Digital Publishing. Today on the show we discuss a very detailed report published on Digital Book World about the amount of self-published erotica titles vs traditional print. We discuss what this means from an American and Canadian perspective and how the industry is responding. Barnes and Noble also submitted a new FCC application for a new Nook, Baen Books are now available and the company has committed their ecosystem to the One Laptop per Child initiative. Finally, we wrap the show up with lots of tablet and iPad news. Good e-Reader Radio – Erotica Self-Pub Statistics, New Nook, Apple iPad News is a post from: E-Reader News |
New Barnes and Noble Nook e-Reader to be Announced Soon
| Barnes and Noble is developing a new e-Reader that should be announced within the next few weeks. The company has a yet unnamed device that just cleared the FCC this morning and the filing report does not give any details away on the hardware or software. The new Nook e-Reader is an upgraded version of the Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight and is thought to use the same e Ink HD screen that is found on the new Kindle Paperwhite 2 and Kobo Aura. The front-light should also undergo an upgrade as the technology has come a long way since the nations largest bookseller released it last year. Hopefully they adopt either Regal or Carta, which dramatically eliminates the full page refreshes that plagued the last few generations of e-readers. Barnes and Noble when submitting the FCC application for the Nook e-Reader asked for confidentiality on all hardware specs and pictures for 90 days. All we do know is the shape and that it has WIFI. New Barnes and Noble Nook e-Reader to be Announced Soon is a post from: E-Reader News |
China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair to Kick Off Nov 7
| Publishers from all over the world have made a beeline for the China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair, set to run from Nov 7-10. Among the publishers that have confirmed their participation at the event include Hachette, HarperCollins, Oxford University Press, Cengage Learning, McGraw-Hill and Garnet Education. The country is home to more than 230 million people below the age of sixteen, which translates into a $5 billion children's publishing industry. The segment has been showing impressive growth, with children's publication having increased by 35 percent between 2011 and 2012. “The purchasing power of young Chinese parents is huge, with more than 52% preferring to buy books than borrowing from libraries. In fact, 70% of these parents purchase books for their kids every month," says senior project manager Randy Wang from Reed Exhibitions that is managing the entire event. "The statistics from China's biggest online retailer Dangdang.com shows that 80% and 90% of the top 10 children's bestsellers in 2012 and 2011, respectively, were imported titles. On the other hand, teachers and educators are in dire need for new educational materials while parents and their children are looking for imported titles to add variety to their reading list and broadening their understanding of various world cultures." This happens to be the inaugural event, and is being organized by the Shanghai Press & Publication Administration, the China Education & Publishing Media Group, and China Universal Publication & Press, in acknowledgement of the growing importance that the children's book segment now commands. Lucy Vanderbilt, group rights director for HarperCollins, said: “In the last year we've done a few major deals in China, including for David Walliams and for Judith Kerr's backlist. There's a really strong appetite for our books at all ages—picture books and chapter books. I'm going to spend time with our customers and see what Chinese publishers themselves are doing. Many travel to Frankfurt, Bologna and the London Book Fair, but this is a chance to meet the publishers who don't travel.” The significance of the event for the publishers can be gauged from the words of Adrian Mellor, Managing Director of Asia Education for Oxford University Press who said: “We see the CBBF as an important new channel for furthering our reach in the growing Asian market. It allows us to find new partners and opportunities for disseminating our wealth of resources for children—published both in the UK and in our four branches in Asia. It also acts as a perfect complement to Bologna, enabling us to reach different markets at a different time of year.” Speaking about the event, Wang said: "CBFF is focused on facilitating closer interactions between industry players local and international, between publishers and the reading public, and between authors and their fans. Exhibitors and attendees will discover a huge range of content—books, e-books, educational software and other edutainment products—and we hope they will go away wanting more and looking forward to the next CBFF." The slogan adopted for the China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair is "Content Without Borders.”
China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair to Kick Off Nov 7 is a post from: E-Reader News |
