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News & Reviews
WORD:
ABA says indie bookstores to benefit from Google eBooks
Edited Press Release
As Google launched its long awaited eBooks platform today, the American
Booksellers Association (ABA) announced its support for the Mountain
View,
Calif., firm's new platform, saying independent bookstores would
benefit from its "open and accessible platform so ABA member bookstores
can provide an easy way for their customers to discover, read, and buy
ebooks at competitive prices."
Indie bookstore
customers no longer have to choose between reading digital and
supporting their local bookstore -- the American Booksellers
Association announced today, Monday, December 6, 2010, that ABA member
stores with IndieCommerce websites are now selling Google eBooks
online. Google launched its ebook program today.
"This partnership with Google is an important chapter in the
renaissance we've been seeing in independent bookselling," said ABA
President Michael Tucker,
co-owner of Books Inc. bookstores in
California. "It allows our membership to better compete with corporate
retailers on selection, price, and convenience. It levels the playing
field."
A Google eBook is a new form of cloud-based digital book that allows
readers to access their libraries on almost any device from one single
repository, regardless of where the ebook was purchased. ABA has
partnered with Google because of its open and accessible platform so
ABA member bookstores can provide an easy way for their customers to
discover, read, and buy ebooks at competitive prices. Google is
offering hundreds of thousands of titles for sale, ranging from new
releases and bestsellers in every category to classics in the public
domain.
"There is unmistakable evidence that an increasing number of consumers
want to read books in digital form, as shown by the almost doubling of
ebook sales in the last year" said ABA Chief Operating Officer Len
Vlahos. "Google eBooks allow our members to serve those
customers how,
when, and where they want to be served and allows customers to continue
to take advantage of the unique services of local retailers. This is a
very exciting day for independent bookselling."
A list of participating ABA member stores in the Bay Area that opted-in
to sell Google eBooks online include San Francisco stores The
Booksmith, Green Apple Books, Books Inc., Oakland's DIESEL A Bookstore,
Pegasus & Pendragon Fine Books in Berkeley, Kepler's Books &
Magazines in Menlo Park, and Book Passage in Corte Madera. The full
list, which will be updated periodically, can be found at the Indiebound
website.
Because Google eBooks work with myriad devices -- tablets,
smartphones, computers, even most e-ink devices - consumers are free to
shop from a variety of retailers rather than being bound to one
retailer. This opens up a wealth of indie recommendations and
bestsellers to avid ebook readers.
"Our partnership with the American Booksellers Association is helping
to bring ebooks technology to independent booksellers and their
customers nationwide," said Chris
Palma, manger of strategic partner
development for Google Books. "This is just the beginning for us."
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