The current trend of ebook and ereader makes it a lot easier for authors who want to share their work with larger group of audience. Instead of going to publishers and waiting for their acceptance, they now can use ebook publishing services to self-publish their books and gain profits from ebook selling stores. All they need to do is to upload content, fill forms and wait for their books appear in ebook stores.
Barnes & Noble launched its self-publishing platform PubIt! last month. Users can publish their books via PubIt! and with free of charge and their works will appear on Barnes & Noble's ebook store within 24-72 hours after submission. Publisher(i.e., authors) will set a List Price for each eBook between $0.99 and $199.99 and they will get 65% of the list price for books between $2.99 and $9.99 and 40% for books below $2.98 or greater than $10.00. ISBN is not required for publishing books via PubIt.
Clearly, Barnes & Noble is not the only vendor if self-publishing services. Amazon has its Digital Text Platform, and Apple enabled iBooks self-publishing via iTunes Connect Online Application in May, 2010.
So, how will the self-publishing trend affect libraries?
COSLA, Chief Officers of State Library Agencies, did an excellent eBook Feasibility Study for Public Libraries, COSLA interviewed library leaders, industry experts to explore what will ebooks mean to the future of libraries, especially public libraries.
According to the report, COSLA believes that self-publishing creates an opportunity for libraries to re-think their collection development. Libraries often select only reviewed works, which means choosing increasingly mainstream materials, but now, they could hand-select works from deserving unsung authors and it will help emerging authors and reflect local community. Public library can distinguish itself from other sources of popular reading materials.
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