The blog of Eric Lee - web design and internet consulting for the trade union movement.

Hooked on ebooks

You can also listen to this essay on Radio LabourStart or read it in print in next month's issue of Labour Research.


Seven Stories Press is a US publisher you probably never heard of. But you have heard of some of their authors (like Noam Chomsky) and if you're reading this, you'd probably be intrigued by some of their titles (such as "10 Reasons to Abolish the IMF and the World Bank").

Like many other publishers, Seven Stories began experimenting with electronic books (ebooks) some time ago, but sales were slim. The various gadgets built to display ebooks never really took off. People didn't like reading books on their computer screens.

And then Seven Stories tried something new -- ebooks in a format compatible with Palm handheld computers, sold through Palm Digital Media. According to a report last autumn, there was then a "rather thrilling surge of ebook sales," said Lars Reilly from Seven Stories.

Back then Palm was selling several hundred thousand ebooks a year directly from its website. Today the numbers are certainly higher as Palm was reporting double-figure percentage growth in 2003.

What's made the change possible is the tremendous improvement in screen quality and useability in the new handheld devices.

Ebooks have numerous advantages over "real" books -- including ecological ones -- but probably most compelling for me is the fact that I can carry dozens of books with me while I travel, all contained within a single, light gadget. When I read in a place with poor lighting, the Palm excells -- the contrast on its screen is far better than what I'd have were I reading off paper.

And there's a wonderful immediacy to the whole process. When the US government's counter-terrorism czar Richard Clarke released his bestselling book trashing the Bush administration's handling of the war on terror, I was able to begin reading it on my handheld literally two minutes after seeing it mentioned on the web. There is simply no faster way to get hold of a book.

I realize that most of you have never read an ebook, but statistics show that once you've crossed that barrier, you are likely to get hooked. Palm Digital Media reports that it is not unusual to find customers buying 50 or 100 titles. The hurdle is getting them to buy and read their first ebook. The savings to publishers (and readers) could be enormous, allowing us to publish and to read books which might otherwise never have seen the light of day.

As I read about Seven Stories' success, the thought crossed my mind that other progressive publishers might want to follow their example. Or indeed that we in the labour movement and left might consider reviving something like the legendary "Left Book Club" which so successfully brought socialist literature to a wide audience a few generations back. Organizations that already publish books for social change -- including LRD, the Fabians, Pluto Press, Verso and so on -- could pool their resources, and offer low-cost digital versions of many of their titles to subscribers who would be rewarded initially with a free Palm computer.

Maybe the time has come for a "Left Ebook Club."

Comments

As a former trade unionest who has lost sight.I applaud the idea of left e-books Would these be available on tape & cd too for vision impaired & blind?

Mr Dobson, software is available that will allow your computer to read the book to you aloud. While it still sounds a bit robotic, it is rapidly improving, and it means that every e-book is available in audio format.

Not Necessarily Completely Crazy

Eric:

You would be the first to point out, in other circumstances, that this proposal is more or less limited to that 0.1% of the English-reading Left that 1) has a Palm (mine, being outphased, still cost $200), 2) likes to read books on this tiny screen, 3) is capable of understanding and downloading the admitedly free software.

The hypothetical readership would be increased if the proposal was simultaneously addressed to people/networks with PCs and laptops, presumably with a high-speed connection (?).

Some, even most, people might not like to read a book of 200 pages on their PC/laptop. On the other hand, however, they might like to have on their machines illustrated Beginners'Books, handbooks, even bibliographies - all on relevant subjects.

The possibility of laying one's hands rapidly and easily on handbooks and bibliographies relating, for example, to the international union organisations or the World Social Forum, might appeal. As with the kind of 'rapid response' books as Seven Stories ofers, such as responses to 9/11.

And what might be the 'publishing costs' of either a printed or a previously unpublished manuscript?

Best,

Peter Waterman

I can see a use for ebooks for searchable reference books, and periodicals and reference publications which change regularly. For books which are normally read cover to cover I think I prefer paper. But if the book is low print volume and so uneconomic for regular publishers, 'books-on-demand' is a good option. The books-on-demand system stores the book electronically and the order can be made over the web. When the order is received one book is printed (laser technology, not offset), bound and mailed. There is no warehousing. This technology is already out there, often used by universities. Books-on-demand is usually limited to text and black and white graphics.

John Potter
jzpotter at yahoo dot co dot nz

The basic idea is sound IF you can get beyond the Palm machine. I have no need for s "hand held". While I dislike extensive screeb documents, for the small edition-vital book and especially for bibliographies, etc. the idea is workable (when applied to the standard PC.
Ed Beechert
Labor Historian
Vancouver, WA

Thel idea is certainly workable and meaningful, IF you discard the "hand held" portion. I have no need or use for a such a device. If the books and bibliographies can be posted on a regular PC, it would serve a useful purpose. It brings back memaories of Carl Marzani.
Ed Beechert
Lalbor Historian
Vancouver, WA