[Web4lib] Google eBook Store -- need a little help!

[Anders Ericson]

Hi again!

Thanks a lot for your efforts. About half the list is covered! So if a
dozen of you out there take 3-5 each tonight, I'll reach the goal.
http://bit.ly/eAczqp

A little explanation about my coming article, and please be free to
comment on this:

My initial hypothesis was (which I am about to have confirmed) that
despite the hypes of Amazon (Kindle), Sony, Apple, Google etc. about
“millions” of ebook titles on the market, they are still very far from
the broad spectre of books (printed). The titles in my list are about
one third of the titles in English language that were reviewed in
approx. 500 serious (but not only academic) Norwegian journals in
2010. I have omitted “technical” literature, like medicine, oil tech,
computer science etc. Then I can conclude that the import of ebooks
from USA, UK etc. by means of Kindle, Ipad etc. contributes only very
little to the general societal debate in our country. Norwegians (and
Americans) are still very dependent on the printed versions - and thus
on the libraries. Why? Because the ebook business mostly focus on
fiction and mainstream and best-sellers when it comes to non-fiction.
Despite of the fact that publishing is made much easier when you leave
the paper, the press and the transport companies out. What about the
famous long tail? Well, you have the classics (at least Google Books
have), but not the width when it comes to current non-fiction. Then:
Will it change in 5 or 10 years? In USA ebooks have already had some
years in the market. It hasn't changed much. Google could have done it
these days, but not even they have managed. Don't they actually want
to distribute the full spectre electronically? (Well, I'm not going to
answer to that, just ask the q).

Then we have, of course, the OA movement etc. etc.

Well, have a nice day, I'm soon in bed here.

Anders


2011/1/24 Anders Ericson <anders.ericson at norskbibliotekforening.no>:
> Hi, US librarians
>
> I'm a Norwegian journalist - and librarian - working on an article on
> the availability of ebooks. I have done Amazon, Sony, Barnes and Noble
> etc but the new Google eBook store isn't available in my country. Yet.
> But if 20 of you help just me search for 5 of these titles each, or
> 100 of you one title each... !!
>
> http://bit.ly/eAczqp
>
> --
> Alle the best,
> Anders Ericson
> Web editor The Norw. Library Assoc.
> http://www.norskbibliotekforening.no
> +4797775170
>



-- 
Hilsen
Anders Ericson
Nett-red. Norsk Bibliotekforening
http://www.norskbibliotekforening.no
+4797775170