The Linking for Learning Blog
Conflict is #Solvable
There are so many podcasts out there these days it can be hard to find the quality. As soon as I saw Malcolm Gladwell's name associated with the 'Solvable' podcast, I knew it would be a winner. As the description states
Solvable showcases the world’s most inspiring thinkers proposing solutions to the world’s most daunting problems. The interviews, conducted by journalists like Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg, acknowledge complexity while inciting hope that these problems are, in fact, solvable.
This interview features Jacob Weisberg talking to Victor Ochen about building peace in Africa through the African Youth Initiative Network. It's truly inspirational.
Listen to the Solvable podcast: Conflict is #Solvable
A Learning Commons Journey
Stephen Fry on the future of technology
The Hay Festival of Literature & Arts is an annual literature festival held in Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales UK. It attracts a crowd of 85,000 people over 10 days who come together to think, discuss and listen to discussions that re-imagine the world and contribute to new thinking and ideas.
Follow The Hay Festival Youtube Channel
Clouding the ebook sales story
Source:Digital Book World Report 2017
How often do we hear it said that digital publishing is just not taking off? eBooks are dying before they've really begun and young people are adamant that they prefer the feel of a paper book in their hands in preference to digital.
Whilst some of this feedback is real experience, it's necesssary to look at the statistics from a range of sources to realise the reports being presented on a regular basis only tell part of the whole story. As the articles below show, ebook sales statistics are usually taken from data presented by the Big 5 Publishers. The huge rise in digital publishing, on the other hand, is the Indie and self-published market whose figures are not included in mainstream publishers data.
- Self-published indie authors are verifiably capturing at least 24% – 34% of all ebook sales in each of the five English-language markets; it’s not just a US-only phenomenon. When you also include the uncategorized authors, the vast majority of whom are also self-published, the true indie share in each market lies somewhere between 30% – 40%.
- Indies are competing particularly well in the Canadian and Australian ebook markets, nearly approaching the level of dominance they currently hold in the US.
- The Big Five, on the other hand, are letting themselves progressively get squeezed out of nearly every English-Language ebook market. They make up only 38% of Canadian ebook purchases, and that’s the country where they are holding their ground best; in the US, the Big Five now account for barely 26% of all ebook sales. (AuthorEarnings.com)
So, rather than being an ebook vs print book debate, like television vs radio, we are finding there is a place for both formats, plus audiobooks which is another story again! Articles that tell a different story:
From AuthorEarnings.com - February 2017 Big, Bad, Wide & International Report: covering Amazon, Apple, B&N, and Kobo ebook sales in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand
From TheConversation.com - Has the print book trumped digital? Beware of glib conclusions by Nick Earls
From Fortune.com - No, e-books sales are not falling, despite what publishers say by Mathew Ingram