Publishing is defined as, "the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public. Traditionally, the term refers to the distribution of printed works such as books and newspapers. With the advent of digital information systems and the Internet, the scope of publishing has expanded to include electronic resources” (Wikipedia).
Throughout the centuries publishing technologies have continued to evolve. Technology has contributed to making publishing widely accessible and has aided in the reinterpretation of all aspects of society including how and when we interact socially. Publishing technologies change the way a society behaves and communicates, because it is society which reacts to the environment. A good example of a publication technology that made society react is the creation of Johannes Gutenberg'sprinting press (pictured below) in the mid 15th century. The press impacted society politically, educationally, and socially and is considered one of the major inventions during the Middle Ages. Without the invention of the press it is hard to predict where the publishing industry would be today.
The first successful press was built in 1440, and it was a hand press, in which ink was rolled over the raised surfaces of movable hand-set block letters held within a wooden form and the form was then pressed against a sheet of paper (Bellis).The first document to be printed was the Bible in 1455 and the publication of books, magazines, and newspapers followed twenty years later.
The Western bookwas no longer a single object, written or reproduced by request. The publication of a book became an enterprise, requiring capital for its realization and a market for its distribution. The book and other publications impacted social relationships because of the increased opportunity for social interaction. Not everyone could afford to buy books as paper was expensive, so people gathered at coffee houses where books, newspapers and magazines were available. People would read and then gather with others for intellectual discussions. It gave people access to information which increased sharing of knowledge, self-expression and communication.
During the Middle Ages a high percentage of people were illiterate as education was for the wealthy people only. The printing press gave the common people the opportunity to learn as well. This elevated the common people's status which changed social relationships. Common people now had opinions so they were able to interact with people in a different class or amongst their own social class.
The publishing of books eventually created a standardized language so now people could communicate in the same language which also increased social interaction. Anyone could publish their ideas in books, newspapers or magazines which increased equality, which led to different social classes interacting.
Gutenberg’s printing press inspired others to create presses and eventually books, magazines and newspapers were accessible and affordable to buy by common people due to supply and demand. The printing press continued to evolve and other technologies evolved over the next few centuries. Nothing was comparable to the creation of the printing press until the Internet in the mid-20th century.
The invention of the internet cannot be attributed to one person. However, certain figures contributed major breakthroughs. "If any two people “invented the Internet," it was Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf. In 1972 they invented the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) which moves data on the modern internet. They went on to develop the IP Protocol" (Times Online).
The Internet has made and is continuing to make a significant impact on society similar to the printing press. Like the printing press, the internet has changed how and when we interact socially. The internet continues to grow in usage and users. According to PEW Internet the study indicates that internet users has increased from 10% to 80% in the last 15 years.
The internet has been around since 1969 so it is difficult to imagine that in 1994 the majority of the people still did not know what the internet was. Current "Today" show host, Matt Lauer, aired the below Youtube video on when 1994 Today's hosts were asking what was the internet. Matt commented, "It's easy to laugh now, but we all felt that way. It was a mystery to all of us". Today, the internet is part of everyone's day to day life activities. The internet is the main source of how we interact with others. Matt's comments are true so this is why I think it is important to remember the history of the internet and what would we do without it?
The internet has created a significant shift in the way that we develop and interact socially in the last few years. Youth are the majority of internet users and they rarely pick up a land-line or cell phone to communicate with friends and family.They "BBM", text, use social media sites, or email.
In the early days of internet some felt that the internet was having a negative impact on social relationships. Prior to text messaging, Facebook, and Twitter, Kraut et al. wrote about the Internet Paradox which states, "greater use of the internet was associated with declines in communication between family members in the house, declines in the size of their social circle, and increases in their levels of depression and loneliness." Other studies concluded that the internet creates a sterile and negative form of social exchange and communication which in turn could lead to the crumbling of community and society.
Bargh and McKenna note that some scholars feel the internet provides a positive venue for social interaction that allows individuals and groups to connect in ways they would not otherwise. The latest research has shown that the conclusions are opposite of what was previously concluded in Kraut's research. In his later follow-up research, Kraut et al (2002) found that study participants who used the internet were more likely to have an increase in:
1. The size of their local and distant social circles.
2. Their face-to-face interaction with friends and family
3. Community activity involvement
4. Trust in people
TheDigital Future Study, backs Kraut research as the study shows more than half of the people surveyed said the internet was important or very important tool in maintaining social relationships. Some reasons for the change of research is there is an increase in the social media platforms available, internet usage has increased and people are more aware and comfortable with the use of the on-line tools. Another reason is because people are substituting previous activities for time spent on the internet. For example chatting with friends on the internet has replaced talking on the phone. Another way in which social relationships have changed is people meeting on-line instead of at public venues. Minitel,described in the below video, was developed in the early 1980's and was a critical moment as this lead to developing on-line chat rooms.
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Today there are many on-line dating sites and other sites if you are interested in meeting people with similar interests. Friendships are forming through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. The internet enables people to meet others with similar interests in a comfortable environment. Digital Future Study shows that there has been an increase in on-line friends becoming in-person friends. Internet users in 2000 reported an average of less than one person who they originally connected with online and then later met in person. Since then, the average has risen steadily, and in the current Digital Future Study has reached 2.5 people.Even though earlier studies have shown that social interaction was predicated to decrease, later studies have contradicted those findings. Today, we can observe that social interaction has increased, not decreased, just the tools have changed.The internet has provided many positive opportunities for people to develop new social relationships and to maintain friendships when there are barriers such as geographical.
According to Clay, "Publishing used to require access to a printing press, and as a result the act of publishing something was limited to a tiny fraction of the population. Now, once a user connects to the internet, he has access to a platform that is at once global and free". This statement is true but the internet and printing press have both made a significant difference in the publishing industry even though the internet reaches the world in an instant. If the printing press was not invented, there would be no mass production of books, people would continue to be illiterate and no-one would of created the internet as no-one would be able to use it. The internet is text heavy so internet users would have to know how to read and write. Once the book was able to be mass produced, society evolved socially,politically etc. If there was not this flow of development, society would not have evolved to where we are today.
Question to ponder after completing this blog: The first record of coffee being served in a public place dates back to 1475 in Turkey. Coffee shops started to slowly pop up around the world. The mass production of books started around this time. People gathered at coffee houses to in order to have access to books, so did the printing press also contribute to the success of coffee houses?
Bellis, M. (2009). Johannes Gutenberg and the Printing Press. Available: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/b1JohannesGutenberg.htm. Last accessed April 5, 2011.
Bellis, M. (2009). ‘The History of Communication’. About Inc. http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bl_history_of_communication.htm. Last accessed April 5, 2011.
Skirky,C. (2008). Here Comes Everybody. Penguin Books. page 77.USC's Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism (2010). USC Annenberg Digital Future Study. Last accessed on April 5, 2011.
If transliteracy is the future of literacy, what happens to publishing and how does the role of libraries change?
Hello everyone! I’m writing from an apartment filled with moving boxes, I’ve just relocated from Georgia for a position at a public library system in Columbia South Carolina. I’ll be responsible for staff learning and development, I will be helping library staff assist patrons in a transliterate world.
We are in the midst of exciting and challenging time for both libraries and publishers. Advances in technology have allowed society to re-examine (and perhaps redefine) what exactly is a book. Ebooks or electronic books have been around for years, but it’s only recently with the increase in popularity of devices like the the Kindle and the Nook that use among the general population has taken off. It is worth noting that despite the attention and time given to the issue of ebooks that they still account for a small portion of sales. 1
The ebook landscape is still evolving so while we generally have an idea of ebooks that we agree upon, there are file format differences between vendors, not to mention DRM (Digital Rights Management). DRM is technology used by publishers, and others, to control and limit access to digital content. Both the lack of an industry standard for a file format and the demands of DRM create a burden for libraries. DRM places additional limitations and requirements for the download process that makes accessing and using library ebooks a less than elegant process.
With the announcement of the iPad in April of 2010 a new twist was introduced to electronic books. The interactive ability of the iPad allowed a whole new dimension to books the embedding or linking to additional content. As Rinzler notes these interactive books are actually apps that must be purchased from the app store not the iBooks store. Which might beg the question: are they books? Or what IS a book?
YouTube video review of Cat in the Hat App
Because the ebook landscape is still evolving the lending/leasing/buying model between publishers and libraries is still evolving too. Recent HarperCollins decided that ebooks leased by libraries will only be good for 26 check-outs, after that they expire and libraries will be forced to pay for the title again. This creates additional budgetary problems for libraries as well as concerns on how to manage the title affected.
As the world is changing around us so is the role of libraries. It is now necessary for library staff to understand the different file formats and able to explain these to our patrons. The general public does not understand the difference between an epub vs pdf ebook file and the need to explain the differences in file format often comes in to play while assisting with ebooks. Staff may need to explain why the popular Amazon Kindle does not work with library ebooks, and they need to do so in a way that is free from jargon and techno-speak. Staff need to be able to pick up on an reader they may have never seen before and assist a patron with its usage. This can be especially hard because of the variety of ebook devices or ereaders on the market. Many libraries can not afford to purchase all of these devices for staff learning.
The emerging ebook eco-system is just one reason that library staff need to be transliterate. The needs of patrons in the 21st Century require a commitment to life long learning and exploration.
How do you define a book? How do you see the evolution of books in the next 2-5 years? How do you think the coming changes in the capability of books will affect new generations? How will it change the education system?
1. According to Association of American Publishers data, in 2008 ebook sales accounted for approximately 0.5% of all U.S. book sales; a year later, they accounted for 1.3%. Survey of Ebook Penetration and Use in U.S. Public Libraries, Library Journal 2010
If transliteracy is the future of literacy, what happens to publishing and how
does the role of libraries change?
Some key ideas:
•future of libraries
•democratization of
publishing
Ian Clark writes on the need for libraries in the digital age at guardian.co.uk Libraries are a bridge between the information-rich and the information-poor. They need reinforcing, not dismantling. We need to continue to provide a highly skilled service that is able to meet the needs of the general public. The service ought to continue to innovate to take advantage of the way in which people are interacting with the service in a different way. It needs to continue to bridge the gap between those who have access to the internet and those who do not, while also ensuring it delivers on other aspects of its core service (book loans, local studies materials, etc). If the service is cut, we run the risk of an ill-informed society that is ill-equipped to prosper in the “information age” – a dangerous prospect for any democracy.
incorporating social media into the library instruction curriculum can add a familiar, effective, and transferable skill-set for addressing the critical ACRL Information Literacy Standards. As Bobish concludes his article, social media and related technologiespresent a golden opportunity, not generally available previously, for students to see the real world relevance of the skills that they learn through information literacy instruction and to learn how information is created and shared by doing it themselves rather than hearing about it. (p. 63)
Discussion Questions:
Q1. Elizabeth Daley encourages us to expand the concept of literacy. We’ve talked about transliteracy.
What role do you think transliteracy plays (will play) in the development of publishing (and reading and
writing)?
Q2. If publishing, traditionally, evoked ideas of editors, gatekeepers, experts and credibility and current online publishing is synonymous (usually) with interconnected conversation, legitimacy of interaction and communication - how do we as writers and readers legitimise both credibility and interconnected conversation?
Q3. According to Lawrence Lessig (founder of Creative Commons): “I think it is a great thing when amateurs create, even if the thing they create is not as great as what the professional creates. I want my kids to write. But that doesn’t mean that I’ll stop reading Hemingway and read only what they write. What Keen misses is the value to a culture that comes from developing the capacity to create—independent of the quality created. That doesn’t mean we should not criticise works created badly (such as, for example, Keen’s book…). But it does mean you’re missing the point if you simply compare the average blog to the NY times.” What does Lessig’s quote imply about (critical) literacies and literary practises concerned with publishing?
Q3. This week we’ve talked about the role of libraries in the new landscape of publishing. Some people see libraries as passe, “If you plopped a library down 30 years from now there would be cobwebs growing everywhere because people would look at it and wouldn’t think of it as a legitimate institution because it would be so far behind...” What transliterate practises might libraries employ in order to place libraries at the centre of an informational social web?
Ximena Alarcon presenting at Visiones Sonoras organised by the CMMAS in Morelia – México. Image from the Sounding Underground blog.
This week Ximena Alarcon will be sharing her expertise with us. Ximena has prepared an interview for a community radio station in Devon (England) with Ariane Delaunois. It's a very detailed explanation of Ximena's Sounding Underground project.
Abstract of Sounding Underground:
Sounding Underground
year of production: 2009
used technology (software etc): Flash CS4 Actionscript 3.0
Sounding Underground is a virtual environment that invites users to interact with the soundscapes of three underground public transport systems: London, Paris and México City. Commuters’ memories and imaginations are represented in sounds and images that have been selected by volunteer commuters through an ethnographic process. These sounds are assembled in a sound score that acts as a multimedia user’s interface. The score contains sonic features unique to each metro distributed into: Entrance, Tickets, Corridors, Platform, and Carriage,correspond to the identifiable spaces recognised by any commuter, as well as some shared sonic spaces: Amplified Voice, Steps, Doors, Trains Arriving. Each metro has a unique space: Paris (air sounds), Mexico (street vendors), and London (announcements). This environment allows commuters, through interactive options, to experience a process of listening and remembering, provoking the expression of an aural urban collective memory, through the narrative of an underground journey.
Interactivity
Each category contains a sequence of sounds that can be triggered by the user. S/he is invited to interact at his/her own rhythm and to feel free to navigate the spaces. In the interaction, sounds overlap both within categories and spaces, creating a sonic texture derived from the humans’ and the machines’ counterpoint of daily life.
In the graphic interface, each category contains a sequence of images. Although they change each time the user triggers a sound, they may not be directly associated with the sounds. They are close-up pictures of the textures from the metro spaces. Most are abstract images allowing one to focus attention on the sounds, which resembles the activity of wandering (as if lost in thought). The graphic spaces overlap to create the feeling of being in a common space that changes because of the movement of sound in space and not because of its graphic structure: the latter is fixed, and serves both as a score and as a user interface.
Sounding Underground also invites you to write memories in text, produced by listening. These memories are being published randomly in the "Listening and Remembering" page.
Sounding Underground is the result of a practice-led research project studied commuter’s perceptions towards their daily life soundscape in underground public transport systems, taking the case studies of Paris and México City as counterparts of the London Underground. Sixteen commuters in Mexico, and sixteen in Paris, contributed to the creation of the environment, and their experiences were linked to the original project in London, in which twenty-four volunteers participated.
Linking urban soundscapes through commuters’ memories invites us to acknowledge symbolic, social, economic and political issues of mobility in contemporary cities, from their perspective. This approach strives to make commuters contributors in the creation of these environments, and furthermore performers (as non-musicians) and narrators of their commuting experience.
Week 10: Writers and Writing
This week we’ll explore contemporary new media writing and examine how it might be different from
*traditional* print-only works. As Andy Campbell notes of his works: “textual narratives are approached by Dreaming Methods as a key part of the multimedia mix rather than as the absolute central backbone – purposely open-ended, ambiguous, short, fragmentary – and are often additionally considered to be a powerful visual element: blurred, obscured, transient, animated, mouse-responsive.”
Key ideas for this week:
• Ways to write and read rich media documents in a networked environment.
• Read the example books made with Sophie: http://sophieproject.cntv.usc.edu/demobooks
• “The interactive nature of the process makes it possible for individual memories to be linked in a creative shared experience; it fosters the development of on-line sound-driven narratives.”
Guest Lecture:
Ximena Alarcon will share with us her ideas on creating and disseminating born digital work.
This week's seed questions:
Q1. Ronni Bennett says that “in the end, it is all storytelling ...all communication is storytelling.” What are some examples in the online environment that support Bennett’s thinking?
Q2. In “Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide,” Henry Jenkins writes that transmedia storytelling works best when each medium is used to tell the part of the story that it’s most suited for and that each piece of this story. Find two examples of transmedia storytelling and explain why each platform and story part works best together (think of Radiohead and Heros as examples).
Q3. In the print world, page layout is largely the job of the publisher. That is, neither the reader nor the writer has much choice about how the text (images/sound/video) appear on the “page.” With digital writing, most writers (and readers) have deep input on how text (etc...) appears. What is significant about this shift? What dialogues are opened up?
Chris Joseph is going to be sharing with us some *classified* information about his work. Please access the private post containing his lecture notes here. A password is required which has been e-mailed to you.
Chris will be answering questions about his lecture which you can post here so the class discussion remains in this centralised area.
What is narrative and how is it affected by new media developments. The focus will be on time-based narratives with a close reading of Cruising by Ingrid Ankerson and Megan Sapnar.
Basing our discussion on the week’s readings we’ll critique these main ideas:
feminism
nonlinearity
temporality
transiency
rhizomatic
time-based narrative
multimodality
Discussion Questions:
Q1. How can we define nonsequentiality/multi-linearity, interactivity, narrative?
Q2. To what extent are these aspects determined by the text, the reader, the digital format?
Q3. What kinds of narratives are especially suited for a multi-linear/interactive format? Are there stories that can only be told in an online format?
Q4. Read Cruising. Analyse the structure of the narrative (is it non-linear, multi-linear?). How does it engage the reader? What are the textual mechanisms by which the text achieves engagement?
