The digital book market has been ramping up over the past few years but 2010 could be the year that that it becomes common currency. Consumers have a multitude of ebook devices to choose from; are avidly downloading and reading their favourite romance novels and short stories on their cellphones, iPhones and BlackBerries; and are remotely browsing digital library collections from their local public library. The Association of Canadian Publishers and the ABPBC have been preparing our members for this new world providing information and projects to help our members with the transition. We will continue this exciting work into the future.
Along these lines, the ABPBC will launch BC Books Online in beta form in 12 selected post-secondary, public and school libraries across the province in 2010. This exciting project will eventually provide access to BC published books to, we hope, all citizens of the province. Details on locations and content will be available in March.
It’s a challenging world for publishers but one which provides opportunities for our members and our writers. The market continues to evolve and the questions, particularly on copyright and monetization in the digital realm, remain unanswered but we are all working together to find solutions and options.