A conference in Auckland next month, organised by the BPANZ-affiliated Digital Publishing Forum, will examine the Future of the Book. And it’s a big future. The US$100 billion global book industry – and increasingly newspapers and magazines – is on the cusp of change that’s unfolding at an accelerating pace.
“The future is digital, mobile and global and the Future of the Book conference covers it all,” says conference organiser and Digital Publishing Forum director Martin Taylor. It will be the major event on the Digital Publishing Forum’s calendar this year and is scheduled to run over two days from June 24-25 at the Hyatt Regency in Auckland. Taylor hopes it will attract a range of delegates, from publishers to booksellers, library, education and technology partners.
The programme is packed with sessions from international speakers and local experts. And it will offer plenty of opportunities to check out new products and ideas, buy or sell digital content, expand your network of contacts, and start doing business.
A highlight will be the Future of the Book in Education stream which will open up the global potential of e-learning.
You can view the programme on the Forum’s website. Places are limited so register early – and there’s a special BPANZ earlybird discount rate if you register by 29 May.
The conference has an impressive line-up of international speakers confirmed so far, including:
- Neelan Choksi of Lexcycle, the developer of leading iPhone ebook reader Stanza recently acquired by industry heavyweight Amazon
- Michael Ross, senior vice president/education for Britannica, author and publishing Hall of Famer
- Sherman Young, academic and author of The Book is Dead. Long Live the Book, an expert on the cultural impact of new technologies
- Richard Pipe, CEO of Singapore- and India-based InfoGrid Pacific, an ebook production and distribution company with years of real-world experience and a global publishing client list.
- Plus a complement of great local presenters and topics, including practical case studies, spanning key areas and opportunities in digital publishing and the mobile web today.
If you’re a supplier to the industry, or are interested in buying or selling digital content, there are opportunities to exhibit and meet the who’s who of digital publishing in New Zealand.
The conference is now open for registrations. Visit the website (digitalpublishing.org.nz/future) to find out more.
