Last week's O'Reilly Tools of Change (TOC) Conference hosted a publishing start-up showcase. Seeking a range of tools from 60 submissions, O'Reilly chose the following 11 companies to display at the showcase, including a library vendor. Amidst the variety was cluster of technology in self-publishing. As technology entrepreneurs zero in on publishing industry, writers look to be the big winners, no longer so dependent on the traditional path to getting published. Do you see tools your library could use?
BiblioCrunch Network
Marketplace for would-be self publishers plan and budget their project, launch it, and hire vetted, skilled freelancers for tasks such as in editing or design.
BookieJar Inc.
Self publishing distribution platform with ecommerce platform and without digital rights management.
BookRix GmbH & Co. KG
A community for readers and self-published authors. Upload files, ebooks will be distributed through ebook channels and sold on its site.
Booktiq
Provides total workflow for self publishing. Uses XML in later stages to enable a few templates for professional quality design often missing in self-publishing.
Customizabooks
This early stage startup, less than a month old, uses videogame development tools and methodologies to allow users to create customized ebooks.
FlatLeaf
Social reading platform, read reviews, follow and be followed. Freemium model, Social tools and a subset of classic ebooks are free; subscribe for access to many more ebooks.
Lookze
Uses location-based technology to deliver architectural and historical content of nearby buildings.
NewsRight LLC
Funded by media companies and investors. Newsright provides the infrastructure for rights management and analytics of professional, journalistic content.
Serendipite Studios
The product Pappus is a discovery tool serving as a social media hub powered by a content management system backend. . It creates an attractive landing page from which author can microblog book excerpts, events, updates, and the like.
Third Iron
Focused on the library market, Third Iron allows app interface to subscription journal content. It will be launching a pilot with 30 academic libraries.
Widescript
Cloud-based ebooks platform for publishers enabling access model. Allows synching on any device.