AfterDawn: News

Random House set to digitize 8000 books

Random House, the large book publisher, has announced that they will be digitizing an additional 8000 books, in an effort to take advantage of explosive e-book growth.

CEO Markus Dohle added, "more people everyday are enjoying reading in the electronic format and Random House wants to extend our reach to them with more of our books."



The publisher currently has a library of about 7000 and says the new round of digital books will be completed before February. A few of the books included will be novels by John Updike and Harlan Coben, and many volumes of the "Magic Treehouse" children's series.

RH vice president for digital operations, Matt Shatz, noted that e-book sales have increased over 100 percent in 2008, thanks to the Amazon Kindle, but declined to offer a specific number.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 30 Nov 2008 15:45

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• 6 comments

• philipman

  I hope they start making more textbooks into e books, last quarter I spent 500 bucks just on textbooks. But it's nice to see publishers making a move to e books

  30.11.2008 16:06 #1

• gallagher

  Originally posted by philipman: I hope they start making more textbooks into e books, last quarter I spent 500 bucks just on textbooks. But it's nice to see publishers making a move to e booksOh, trust me. Even if they digitize them, they will still cost you $500. Look at music--you would figure that with basically no production costs, only the cost of the website, music would be dirt cheap. Nope, .99 times, say, 12 songs, is about the same price as an album out of a store.
  
  Rip off.

  30.11.2008 20:18 #2

• aldan

  theres something about curling up with a good book and this just doesnt cut it.

  30.11.2008 22:03 #3

• bryston

  Originally posted by aldan: theres something about curling up with a good book and this just doesnt cut it.
  I agree,
  
  Jo
  

  Life is Grand !
  
  

  1.12.2008 06:19 #4

• borhan9

  Originally posted by aldan: theres something about curling up with a good book and this just doesnt cut it.I have to agree with this statment i love digital media and yes it will be great with text books and things like that however i love curling up in bed and reading and falling asleep and dreaming away. I don't think falling asleep with a ebook is very safe at all.
  

  Edited by DVDBack23
  
  
  "the mediocre teacher tells. the good teacher explains. the superior teacher demonstrates. the great teacher inspires."- William Aruthur Ward

  6.12.2008 04:38 #5

• qazwiz

  Originally posted by aldan: theres something about curling up with a good book and this just doesnt cut it.
  well, soon you can try curling up with a good KINDLE book
  
  :D

  13.3.2009 10:31 #6