Description:

No prior experience with digitization is assumed in this friendly and accessible overview of the conversion process. We'll start from the beginning: what's XML and do you need it? What's the cost-benefit analysis versus PDF or other formats? From there we'll tell you what you need to look for in selecting a vendor and how to watch out for hidden costs. We'll tackle issues of control and lock-in versus cost savings: should you partner with Google, Amazon, or a centralized platform, or go on your own? Finally, we'll brainstorm some ideas on how to monetize your digital offerings, from opening up your backlist to syndicating content on the Web.

About Liza Daly

Liza Daly is a consultant and software engineer serving the publishing industry. She has been developing web applications for more than ten years and has been a lead engineer on major XML-driven online products for Oxford University Press, Columbia University Press, O'Reilly Media and other publishers. Currently she is an independent consultant and the founder of Threepress, developer of the Bookworm EPUB e-reading application. She writes frequently for several blogs related to publishing and technology and is on the advisory board for the Web 2.0 Expo NYC 2008 and O'Reilly Tools of Change 2009 conferences.

About TOC

Driven by the Internet, technology is fundamentally transforming publishing. Creation, development, production, distribution, and consumption have all been touched by the changes and challenges that have accompanied the greatest shifts in publishing since the printing press. Which technologies are important? Which provide exciting business opportunities? And what are the strategic questions you need to consider in adopting new models?

O'Reilly's Tools of Change for Publishing division seeks to connect the people, companies, and organizations asking and answering the questions that will define the future of publishing. (TOC is a nod to the term publishing vets will recognize as referring to the Table of Contents of a book -- a deliberate choice signaling our intent to set the agenda for the future of publishing.)

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