Friday, February 18, 2011

Unique Opportunity for NZ Publishers and Authors to get into Ebooks


Copyright Licensing Ltd (CLL) and Creative New Zealand have come together to give NZ Publishers and authors a unique opportunity to have books they have previously published in print converted in to ebooks and made available to readers in New Zealand and throughout the world.

A conversion fund of $100,000 has been established and applications are now being sought for titles that have literary merit and cultural importance and are ones that New Zealanders will want to read in digital form.

The applications will be reviewed by a selection panel of made up of  representatives of the New Zealand literary sector:

Elizabeth Caffin Former Director Auckland University Press and former President Book Publishers Association of NZ
Paul Diamond Writer, historian and broadcaster. Member of the Board of NZ Book Council.
Tony Fisk Managing Director, Harper Collins NZ
Brian Flaherty Associate University Librarian (Digital Services), University of Auckland
Stephen Stratford Writer, editor, journalist. Member of the Board, Copyright Licensing Ltd

After the final list of titles has been chosen the technical process of converting them will commence using the services of Infogrid Pacific, who will provide the publishing and distribution platform required to digitise and distribute the ebooks. Once the ebooks are completed they will be made available to purchase from http://www.greatnzebooks.co.nz/ .

Copyright Licensing Ltd CEO, Paula Browning says, “We are delighted to be able to give New Zealand publishers and authors the opportunity to step into digital publishing. Kiwis, both in New Zealand and overseas, will be able to read titles by their favourite New Zealand authors, on many different digital
devices from the Sony e-reader, to the Kobo.”

More titles will be added to the Great NZ Ebooks website as they are released in digital formats. CLL’s vision for the website is that it will host the largest and most significant collection of New Zealand publishers’ and authors’ digital works.
 www.copyright.co.nz

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