Unexpected eBook Developments

Established best-selling authors can now expect a third or more of their book sales to be in electronic formats, according to a recent report in USA Today, and nearly half of the titles on that paper’s Best-Selling Books list are eBooks. Those numbers will continue to increase, and those in the publishing business that adapt will grow along with the sales figures. NMSG anticipated this digital revolution in publishing, and our eBook production process is up and running.

In addition to the many advantages of digital book publishing, however, there have been some interesting, unintended consequences accompanying a change of this magnitude in the industry. One example: As people’s personal libraries morph from physical books to digital archives, the need for bookshelves is likewise undergoing change. A recent article in The Economist notes that a popular bookshelf model from IKEA has been redesigned as more of a display case for knickknacks than a receptacle for traditional books.

Nevertheless, hardcover books are not quite obsolete yet, says The New York Times: Some enterprising businesses are selling them by the foot, as decorative additions to lend an intellectual atmosphere to people’s homes.