A Good Look at the History of E-Books

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2009/02/the-once-and-future-e-book.ars

PW Blog "Beyond Her Book" on e-books

http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/880000288/post/1800037780.html

NBN Digital Launched

NBN has launched a new digital initiative and will soon be working with a variety of electronic partners.

The marketplace is changing rapidly and we aim to help our clients stay on the cutting edge of technology and innovation. Just as our service options now include POD and digital short run, we see the opportunities that digital publishing offers. As with print books, several of the larger retailers have told us that they will only purchase digital titles if they are handled by a distributor, so we are now offering to handle this aspect of your business alongside our other distribution services.

We will continue to expand our digital services as this new marketplace develops. Publishers with questions are welcomed to contact Davida Breier (dbreier@nbnbooks.com).

Happy Holidays from NBN

CNN Discusses the Kindle's Progress

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/12/03/kindle.electronic.reader

21st Annual Indie & Small Press Fair‏ (NYC)

Event: 21st Annual Indie & Small Press Fair
Time: December 6, 2008 10:00AM
Location: New York Center for Independent Publishing, 20 West 44th street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, New York, New York 10036

Check out www.nycip.org/bookfair/ for a list of events and exhibitors.

Photos from the Spring 09 Sales Conference (thanks, Shana!)

Studs Terkel Passes Away

An iconic figure to writers, journalists, and historians, Studs Terkel has died at 96.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/10/31/studs.terkel.obit/index.html

(On a personal note, meeting him at BEA 2001 remains a BEA highlight for me - Davida)

Judging a Book By Its Cover (fun time waster)

http://judgeby.com/

Pairing Books with Wine

An article on pairing books with wine:
http://www.examiner.com/x-562-Book-Examiner~y2008m10d24-Pairing-books-with-wine

New England Children's Booksellers Advisory Council Interactive Author Touring Map

This is a very cool tool for any children's authors thinking of touring New England:
http://www.newenglandbooks.org/necbamap5.html

A Taste of the Frankfurt Book Fair

Guerilla Marketing: Soliciting Reviews From Readers

Check out what Tow Press is trying:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2008/sep/11/tow.press.giveaway.kevin.federline

Shipping Rates and Carriers Compared

The Baltimore Sun recently ran an article comparing shipping carriers:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/investing/bal-bz.ml.shipping31aug31,0,7526612.story

Make sure you read the comments as well, they offer even more advice.

Books as Furniture

http://www.dezeen.com/2008/09/05/book-vases-by-laura-cahill/#more-17551

Dave Freeman, author of 100 Things to Do Before You Die, dies at 47

A message from Jed Lyons, President and CEO of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group:

We are deeply saddened by the accidental death of Dave Freeman. Dave was a pleasure to work with, and he will be missed. He was very creative in his advertising and his writing and took the same approach to his free time and travel. Dave inspired those he worked with and those who attended his talks. The book he co-wrote with Neil Teplica, 100 Things to Do before You Die, was groundbreaking and started a new line of travel and adventure books that many publishers adopted. The book was a nice success for Taylor Trade as the content and format connected with a wide variety of readers looking to sate some wanderlust with a vacation trip far off the beaten trail or to simply enjoy an adventure from the safety of their own armchair.

Dave Freeman was an exciting man to be around. He lived his life with great intensity and knew that life itself is precious and time is a valuable thing that you can't bank on for later. A young man of just 47 years old, Dave's untimely death clearly illustrates that you must live each day as if it could be your last. We here at Taylor Trade Publishing, National Book Network, and all of us within the Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group are better for having known him and will take his passing with a look at what we can do special today that we might have thought to put off for another day.

With all of the press Dave Freeman's death is getting, we hope people will see past the irony of this world traveling adventurer's demise from a slip and fall at home to the message that you should live like there may be no tomorrow and enjoy life in the present. We are certain that Dave enjoyed his years to the fullest. We are glad to know that he crammed a lot of living into a too-short life.

Read more about Dave's life and "100 Things" books on the Today Show website

PW Article: Gauging the Value Of Free Freight

NBN's CEO, Jed Lyons, is quoted in a PW article this week looking at the pros and cons of free freight:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6585803.html?industryid=47152

Saving Books from Floodwaters

Volunteers came together to save the books housed at the Univ. of Iowa:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080614/NEWS/806140327/1001/NEWS

Jed Lyons on NPR's Morning Edition

Jed Lyons talks to NPR's Morning Edition on the subject of returns in the book industry.

"Publishers Push for New Rules on Unsold Books"

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91461568

Readers Statistics

Did you now that 49% of book purchasers are swayed by reviews, but 60% are swayed by recommendations from friends or family? Read more of these tidbits as part of a Random House/Zogby Poll:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6565475.html?nid=3329