FotB, a cited awful blog
awfulblogs has an excellent critique of our Future of the Book waystation for disturbed advocates of the paper book. The reviewer was motivated and many of the observations are consistent with known facts.
A magnificent FotB reader responded. “As one of the dullard librarians who reads this Future of the Book blog on a regular basis, I have to agree with you, it is not safe for the average reader. This blog is often not safe for the exceptional reader. Based on my conversations with likeminded librarian dullards, there are few that truely comprehend all that Gary Frost (author of said blog) has to say, but we know we are in the presence of greatness when he says it.” Yippee!
Pioneer Book Kits are great home schooling projects!
The Nauvoo Trail Journal and Amana School Book kits commemorate Midwestern book production of the 19th century. These project kits, suitable for young adults as well as students of book studies, provide an exciting craft experience and a durable keepsake of the lessons of history.
The Nauvoo Trail Journal represents books carried by Mormon pioneers during their emigrations to new homelands in the West. The materials, hemp cord text sewing, leather and decorated paper covering accurately represent the book production at Nauvoo Illinois during a period in the 1840ís when this settlement was a center for Mormon publications. These books went across the wide prairies.
The Amana School Book represents books made by German immigrants who established their industrious communal Colonies in eastern central Iowa. The materials, vellum strap text sewing, cloth and decorated paper construction accurately represents book production in the later 19th century in a historical setting in which printing and binding was accomplished independently in each small town across America.
Iowa Book Works
future of the book entry
Discussions of the future of the book frequently contrast paper books and digital books or e-books. Since all books are now produced digitally, such comparison is not as useful as comparison of books presented on paper and those presented on the screen.
The role of the ìe-bookî device remains unclear. Various hand held electronic devices such as the Rocket Book and Softbook are no longer supported and extended reading at a PC is not popular. There is surprising evidence that the cell phone display is a possible incubation niche for the e-book.
Another factor to consider is persistence of individual books into the future. Only eye legible books on materials such as paper, as compared with those transmitted by code on computer media, have proven their capacity to survive centuries and even millennia.
Paper and screen book comparisons must also encompass interface engineering, library services, consumer web devices, book studies programs, economics of book publishing and technologies of book production.
The persistence of the paper book in a context of digital delivery is considered at www.futureofthebook.com while topics in the academic, technical and social implications of a transition to screen based books are considered at Institute for the Future of the Book.
(Wiki entry draft)
book networked, book multimediaed
It occurs that the new dynamic of networked books is stretched from an old dynamic of new readership. The individual kaleidoscope of reception, interpretation and response will continue to pace and even haunt changing reading devices. And this metabolism is well downstream from authorship, production, distribution and reader selection where many of the dichotomies of the paper based and screen based books are discussed.
Perhaps the classical multimedia achievement, in terms of paradigm shift both technically and intellectually, was the 19th century illustrated book. Multimedia imposes reiteration in disguise. Paradoxically, such duplication multiplies meaning. The rotation of a kaleidoscope is in play.
As for networks, the airline network is virtual, over-flying communities and is represented by map imposed straight lines. The railroad network passes overland and through communities and can be encountered as steel track on the ground. Consider the differing potential of the two networks as metaphor to create social context for books and reading and, incidentally, for world peace.
The virtual air travel network has engendered sanitary air strikes and smart bombs without regard for the experience of the communities down on the ground. The ground based railroad network has only connected communities and pacified nations in mutual trade. Which network is no longer relevant? See
Fast track to World Peace.