Google speaks to the book world

‘E-publish and you won’t be damned… ‘

To anyone who thinks digital content is a threat to the book-publishing market, Google wants to tell you two things: first, you’re wrong; second, Google Book Search product is the solution, not the problem.

But in the 21st century’s new-media culture, print publishing is going to have to evolve, according to those speaking at the Google-hosted “Unbound” event held yesterday at the New York Public Library. A crowd of more than 300 people, primarily involved in the publishing industry, came to the event to hear speakers ranging from Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing co-editor and science fiction author, to representatives from major publishing outlets such as Cambridge University Press and Harper Collins.

Jim Gerber, director of content partnerships at Google, whose presentation opened the day’s events, said: “The goal is to stimulate thinking, both your thinking and ours, on how these challenges and opportunities are going to impact all of us.” Gerber reminded the audience the opinions heard at “Unbound” would not necessarily be Google’s own but, ultimately, the majority of viewpoints presented by the speakers and panels were more or less aligned with the search giant – including those expressed by members of the print-publishing industry.

Full article: silicon.com