Keywords
Citation
Freeman, M. (2013), "The Librarian's Guide to Micropublishing: Helping Patrons and Communities Use Free and Low‐cost Publishing Tools to Tell Their Stories", New Library World, Vol. 114 No. 5/6, pp. 275-275. https://doi.org/10.1108/03074801311326920
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
One expects Johan Guttenberg to be whizzing in his grave at the plethora and range of printing and publishing available in the modern era. The demand for community micropublishing seems unstoppable and this handy introduction sets out to help the LIS practitioner enter lo‐cost and no‐cost publishing.
Libraries are playing a major role in community development and activity and often need to establish a micropublishing facility. This useful American work sets out to help, advise and support librarians in creating and developing this type of library facility. Interesting questions are raised by the author, e.g. should your library be a micropublisher in its own right or act as an “umbrella” facilitator publishing on demand for its community? The range a micropublishing library can cover is huge – from genealogy and local history, to poetry, consumerism, local politics and biographies – anything really that the community wants.
This book offers useful guidance on setting up and developing a micropublishing facility, including costs and use of Word. Typography and layout is dealt with in some detail and the whole D‐I‐Y aspect of micropublishing is well covered. Other areas such as copyright, outsourcing, creating e‐books, marketing and publicity are also dealt with effectively and there is a useful, thoughtful chapter on possible futures of micropublishing.
The book is well laid out and produced and contains a useful glossary, short bibliography and, as benefits such a technical work, its own website. A book with a fairly specific target audience which LIS practitioners venturing into micropublishing will find helpful and wide ranging in scope.