Comments on: Wednesday Midday Links RoundUp: Big Changes at Simon & Schuster

By: Ciar Cullen

Ciar Cullen — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:00:16 +0000

On Kindle and Princeton–the Prince article doesn’t really tell the whole story. I’m on a Cost Savings advisory board here, and a lot of considerations fold into the pilot program. Some users will find the Kindle inadequate for academic reading, as many romance readers aren’t comfortable without their paperbacks. But when universities (even the “rich” ones) suffered endowment losses at the same astounding rate that the rest of society is suffering cuts, 401Ks in the toilet, etc, they have to turn to new ideas that allow for continuing to support learning and research at a high level. I don’t mean that to sound snooty. When you figure the cost of textbooks — surely there’s a parent out there who has already felt that sticker shock — and the impact of toner, paper, and labor associated with xeroxing texts in an institution that has stated its commitment to sustainability…
Blah blah I’m going on, but that article looks at only one part of the equation.

By: will it never end? « Collection Developments @ Sno-Isle

will it never end? « Collection Developments @ Sno-Isle — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:14:33 +0000

[...] (via Dear Author) [...]

By: SonomaLass

SonomaLass — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:21:21 +0000

I know people who really like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, including a couple of Austen enthusiasts and two Austen scholars. So obviously there’s a range of opinion, as with most books. I giggled at the first chapter when I read it on line, but I haven’t read the whole book yet.

Yay for free WiFi at Borders! I don’t have a reader yet, but I do like to take my laptop with me when I go out for coffee, and I’d rather be in a bookstore than Starbucks.

As for the Palin book, the publisher said that delaying the ebook release was to maximize hardback sales over the holidays. Doesn’t that mean sales as gifts? They should go ahead and release the ebook then, as we all KNOW it’s almost impossible to give an ebook as a gift. No harm to their sales from that.

By: Kalen Hughes

Kalen Hughes — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:55:31 +0000

One of my friends bought the Jane Austen Zombie mashup and quickly told everyone she knew not to waste their money.

By: carolyn crane

carolyn crane — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:20:28 +0000

I really don’t get these classic/monster hybrids. Does anybody actually read them? The titles are funny but does the story work? They must be selling, I guess.

By: Shannon Reinbold-Gee

Shannon Reinbold-Gee — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:17:02 +0000

Wow. Some stunning news all around. I’m still blinking about the whole “Little Women and Werewolves” thing… What’s next “Villette and Vampires” or “Oliver Twist and Ogres”? Sheesh.

By: KMont

KMont — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:05:26 +0000

Was the Kindle intended to work well for academics? The article says Amazon and Princeton were partnering in the endeavor, but I’m still wondering. I thought the Kindle was more intended for readers of things like fiction. I know I’ve seen plenty of reviews on Amazon for Kindle editions that don’t work well for books that have charts, etc. in them. Ward’s Compendium was one.

I’ll have to click on Little Women and Werewolves when I’ve had more coffee, but I’m already snorting, laughing and weeping at same time.