Changing Literacy…DIY Authors
In Writing Spaces, Bolter proposes “printed materials find it necessary to compete against digital technologies in order to hold their readers.” Currently, we are in hybrid state between paper-based print and electronic media. Many believe it is just a matter of time for electronic media to officially emerge as the preferred method of information gathering. As recent reports suggest the consumer ebook market will overtake the print-based books in 2018.
As someone who grew up in a family of photographers, the transition seems eerily familiar. The early 2000’s saw the evolution from35 mm film to digital memory cards. Hindsight, the transition seemed quick and painless compared to the prolonged transition we are experiencing between print and ebooks. There seemed to be little resistance to this new mode of documenting life. Although upon further reflection, I remember hours of frustration with Photoshop, memory cards and the digital organization of images. Seemingly overnight photographers were opening shop to make some “easy money” as weekend-warrior photographers. Many were left wondering, what had happened to the art of photography? Composition and lighting were taking a back seat to the “spray and pray” photography technique. Interestingly, the photography world is seeing a grassroots resurgence of 35 mm film (and larger) formats. Although this is a small population of the community, the art form refuses to die as so many thought it would.
I can only assume this might happen with printed materials in the near future. Although printed material and the advancement of technology gave birth to the electronic writing format, there is still a need for print forms, whether it be for nostalgia, for practical reasons (no batteries required) or for the art of the printed book. In saying this, a few questions come to mind. How long until the local bookstore is out of business? Or will we forever be in a hybrid state of paper and electronic books? How much longer can Bolter’s competition between printed material and electronic material continue? Will consumer paper-based books see a demise and academic/educational resources forever be in print? Similarly to photography, the ease of the media has created a new breed of author. The Web 2.0 and self-publishing/DIY websites such as www.lulu.com has changed literacy by creating an even playing field for those who have a desire to publish (whether paper or electronic). No longer does one require an agent or to give up copyright upon publishing. As with anything we attempt to do in life, some find success while others hardly break even.
In the end, will the paper-based reader cease to engage in electronic books due to the medium?
References:
Bolter, Jay David. (2001).Writing space: Computers, hypertext, and the remediation of print [2nd edition]. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Sweney, M. 2014, June 4. Ebooks on course to outsell printed editions in UK by 2018. The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jun/04/ebooks-outsell-printed-editions-books-2018
Hello Ronaye,
Thanks for you wonderful response. Your discussion around the shift you and your family experienced as members of the photographic community piqued my interest. This experience seems reminiscent of the statement by Victor Hugo quoted in Bolter’s (2001) book. Where the priest character declares that the book has killed the church. Bolter (2001) goes on to discuss how this is not necessarily true. Churches still exist and are used quite commonly. It is true that the printing press did give rise to a growth in secular knowledge, however, the church survived. In my opinion because churches provide certain experiences that the printed book does not.
I work as a teacher in a curricular field that is rapidly diminishing. As a shop teacher in B.C., every year we see a decrease in the number of shop classes being offered (macleans, 2011). This is likely because learning the new digital technologies is perceived as being more useful than spending time learning the “old” technologies like woodworking, metalworking, and auto. I still do not see shop classes closing completely as there is still a joy found in using your hands to make something. We may never reach the level of enrollment seen previously, however, we provide an experience not available in other classes. I feel this will hold true for paper based books. E-books do not completely replace everything the paper based books provided. Instead there is certain experience only achieved through reading paper based books. This may change as technology advances however I think paper books are here for a while yet.
Cheers,
Ben
Bolter, Jay David. (2001).Writing space: Computers, hypertext, and the remediation of print [2nd edition]. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Reynolds, C., (2011). Why you teenager can’t use a hammer: Complaints about a generation of the mechanically challenged. Macleans, Retrieved from. http://www.macleans.ca/society/life/why-your-teenager-cant-use-a-hammer/
Hi Ben;
Your post surprised me. For one, there are many large churches that have or are closing in Eastern and Upper Canada due to either reduced population, fewer taking up the religious calling, or a general shift away from traditional religion. http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2010/05/18/13993046.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/six-cape-breton-catholic-churches-closing-1.1275597
http://news.nationalpost.com/holy-post/whats-happening-to-montreals-churches-quebec-finding-new-ways-to-preserve-its-heritage-in-a-secular-age
I wasn’t aware that shop classes were being cut in B.C.. Our college has seen a growth in trades training programs and industry is looking for more of these skilled workers. Of course, this could be due to the shuffling of government funds to post secondary levels.
I do agree that these courses offer an experience far different than other classes much like science labs. But they including Home Economics (what do they call it now?) classes of old offer basic skills for survival. New drivers should know the basics of how their vehicle works, how to cook a simple nutritional meal, sew a button, change a light bulb (just kidding) before they go off to either post secondary or wherever. Just as students entering post secondary should be able to pass a technology entrance exam (much like the English entrance requirements) so too should they be required to know how to use say the fifteen? basic trades tools. But I digress. These hands on experiences cannot be duplicated online to the degree of F2F instruction.
Hi Ronaye,
I think the analogy between photography and books makes a lot of sense. The initial shift from film to digital did seem pretty shaking. The first cameras really didn’t have the resolution of a good camera but over time evolved into today’s HD cameras on our phones.
What I want to question though is the role of the print book in society. Although printed books might not be as cheap and have easy entry for self-publishing, published books provides a filter between good works of writing and mere repetition of ideas. When I browse the Amazon store, I’m beginning to find a lot of short 20-50 page self-published books. They often repeat information found in other sources and don’t seem to be as rigorous as something published by Oxford or Cambridge. Publishers as the gatekeepers to the printed word provided the service of limiting and filtering the information that was distributed based on quality.
However, today with ebooks and the internet, we lose the vetting process provided by publishers. Some readers may still choose to read authoritative sources for news and information like the online versions of the New York Times or books from publishers. That said, other sources claim the same legitimacy but lack the rigorous standards placed on them by publishers and journalists. For example, there has been an explosion of conspiracy sites and ebooks making their way around online. Self-published material just seems to lack the quality that we think of when we read a print book.
So in the end, I don’t think that books will go the same way as photographic film. Rather, it’ll be more like the movie industry. Although people can create and publish their own videos on Youtube, movies from major production companies still make money because they are synonymous with quality. Likewise, the print book might go the same way and retain its position as a source of authority.
Bolter, Jay David. (2001).Writing space: Computers, hypertext, and the remediation of print [2nd edition]. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Corker, Mark. (2014, Nov 21). Ebook Publishing Gets More Difficult From Here: How Indie Authors Can Survive and Thrive. Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-coker/ebook-publishing-gets-more-difficult-from-here_b_6200508.html
Walker, Jesse. (2015, May 27). How the internet changed conspiracy theories. Reason.com Blog. http://reason.com/blog/2015/05/27/how-the-internet-changed-conspiracy-theo
Hi Bryan,
I agree that the DIY publishing industry has created a gap in the credibility of the information within a vast majority of these books. I think this is certainly reflected in the photography industry as well. Quality and creativity has diminished in pursuit of a cheaper final product.
-Ronaye
Hi Bryan;
It once was that when you perused the list of best sellers in print media you saw quality titles. Now it seems that the list are based on sales and a Harlequin romance gets the same billing as Margaret Atwood. It becomes hard to find a reliable source with book reviews for good literature. I have found myself going to these sources:
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/1000-books-to-read-before-you-die
http://www.listology.com/ukaunz/list/1001-books-you-must-read-you-die
This course has explored the changes to text and technologies over a long period of time. The concept of continued evolution is obvious. However, the difference now is that the changes are happening in a very quick time period. In the past, change might be spread over many generations. Now multiple changes to media and technology happen every decade.
Your analogy of the changes to photography is excellent! Another would be changes we have seen to video and audio media. I grew up in the era of the 8-track player and vinyl record which then evolved to the cassette. We not only rented movies on VHS, but we had to rent the VHS player, as well. After a lifetime of building collections of music and movies, in came the CD and DVD. Just as collections are being replaced, Blu-ray takes over. Now I have a blu-ray player in my garage I cannot even give away, and a basket of disks that are pretty much worthless as everything is now digital. The speed of changes is staggering. Even our bills now come electronically and door-to-door mail service is being eliminated. I think people tend to embrace change. However, people also need time to adjust to change. We live in an era when change is constant and to simply be expected and anticipated.
I am not surprised at the shift towards eBooks. While I love hands on books, the students in our school library rarely touch the non-fiction. If they are doing research then they head directly for the internet. How many times have I gone to the public library for this course? Time is precious and the ability to find updated information quickly is so invaluable! As for fiction, I think that the shift will be much slower and that there will always be a place for fiction books. Just as the old vinyl records are making a comeback, the paperback novel will always have its place.
I’m in agreement with you Tina.
This has become a throw-away culture that is not becoming. If it’s not broken why are we replacing it. Purpose and function need to come before profits and personnel debt. I purchase a new computer because my old one is dying. I’m doing fine with Windows 8 so why do I need to upgrade to Windows 10 ? Yes, the wireless mouse is marvelous so I have one. And once this course is over I will pull out my CDs and play away in the sun. In fact I might actually have a few old cassettes around. Time to reconnect with my past.
Hi Ronaye;
I like your questions.
“Many believe it is just a matter of time for electronic media to officially emerge as the preferred method of information gathering.” The key here is “preferred method of information gathering”.So, yes, electronic media will take over as first choice. The saving grace for print’s slow demise will be teh leisure, enjoyment factor. In our neighbourhood, there is a woman whose room of books shared between friends has grown to her double garage where she hangs a sign that reads ‘Take a book. Leave a book. It’s hard to resist a second hand book stores when we travel. They become an adventure, especially when discoveries of old favourites start wonderful conversations.
They revised record players for LPs so don’t be surprised if printing presses come back if only to print a keepsake copy of one’s online novellas. Yes, everyone can become a writer online but few attain quality writer status that can sustain the test of time and generations (Anne of Green Gables, Agatha Christie). What online works will be still available in 50 years? Then again someone might use the Disney philosophy of releasing old titles ‘out of the vault’ over a cycle of years.
Lastly the paper based reader will only fade from black and white as our generation diminishes and the demand is reduced.