An "Either/And" World

by Raelene Gorlinsky

There are some dang smart people in the publishing industry. I've already expressed my appreciation for the broad vision of Carolyn Reidy, CEO of Simon & Schuster. Let me add John Ingram of Ingram Book Group to my list of people who understand what the future can be.

Speaking at the Publishers Association of the West annual conference last week, Mr. Ingram "emphasized that we live in an "Either/And" world, not an "Either/Or" world. Instead of choosing between printed books or e-books, publishers can and should focus on both, especially since, as Ingram pointed out, consumers' expectations are rising. In this new "Either/And" world, Ingram urged the audience to make the most out of all the resources available, from traditional printed books to digitized files and print demand to downloadable e-books."

(From the article in Publishers Weekly:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6615035.html?nid=2286&source=link&rid=1967280189 )