interesting trend
“There are too many books. I receive too many books every week. If the computer network succeeds in reducing the quantity of published books, this would be a paramount cultural improvement.” Umberto Eco
The pseudo book genres are being allocated over to screen presentation, finally stabilizing the continuing annual increase in paper book publishing. Finally paper books can function to convey coherent, complex conceptual works without the burden of producing airline schedules guides, engine manuals or preprints of all kinds.
ìThe sudden and steep drop in the number of new books published in the U.S. last year was surprising,î said Andrew Grabois, a consultant for Bowker. ìYet 2005ís book output was the second highest total of new books ever recorded, after 2004ís record year. The reappearance of limits was the most interesting thing about publishing in 2005.”
live link to paper
Jessica White has the Zine Machine rockin’ with a constant stream of Zines.
***still smokin’
“Michael Hancher alerted me to the Chronicle of Higher Education’s
annual report on what’s hot at the MLA convention. This year, it’s book
history. Yes, I know, the Chronicle said we were hot 15 years ago — so
I guess you could say we’re the Mick Jagger of academia.” Jonathan Rose
what is going on at LC?
“There is substantive evidence, provided by
patterns of statements both from LC
management and from the sources it relies on, that the Library of Congress is striving mightily to
get out of the business of providing systematic access to a large collections of printed books
through the provision of LC Subject Headings (in an online catalog that is not merged with
Google) and through the provision of subject-categorized shelving of actual volumes arranged
according to the LC Classification system.” Thomas Mann
The dark side of digital access is not only the deflections from the role of print in libraries, but deflections from the role of libraries in libraries. And we can no longer hope for enlightened leadership. We can not even hope for a balanced, rational strategy to advance the promise of productive interactivity of print and screen reading.
Shall we now joint together to defend libraries? All power to the reading people!