BTW News Briefs

Books Inc. of Palo Alto to Move

This week, California's Books Inc. announced that it would be moving its Palo Alto store from the Stanford Shopping Center -- where it opened in 1957 -- to the newly renovated Town and Country Center on February 1, 2008. The 50-year-old store's new location will be 4,000 square feet.

"Despite the well-known challenges to our industry, Books Inc. has proven that independent booksellers can thrive when we're in the heart of a community," said Michael Tucker, president of Books Inc. and an ABA Board member. "We belong here, and we appreciate Ellis Partners for their commitment to create an atmosphere at T & C that is more about what the people of this community really want than their own bottom line."

Sony to Imbed Adobe Digital Technology Into Portable Readers

Adobe Systems Inc. has announced the release of Adobe Digital Editions 1.0, a new software application designed for acquiring, managing, and reading eBooks, digital newspapers, and other digital publications. The new software will allow publishers to easily create new Adobe Digital Editions-ready content. In addition, Adobe announced that Sony has committed to embed Adobe Digital Editions technology into its portable reader product line.

"The combination of Adobe Digital Editions, InDesign CS3 and a new generation of hardware from innovators like Sony shows that digital publishing is front and center for content owners -- and millions of readers who are looking forward to innovations in the delivery of their favorite works," said Rob Tarkoff, senior vice president, Corporate Development at Adobe, in a release.

"We're excited to work with Adobe to pioneer new applications for eBooks and other digital documents," said Ron Hawkins, vice president of portable reader systems marketing at Sony Electronics, Inc. "This collaboration will give us the opportunity to expand our offerings to a larger audience and new markets, allowing individual consumers, businesses, and other customers to take advantage of the portability and ease of use of Sony's Reader products with a wider spectrum of content."

Adobe Digital Editions currently works with more than 150,000 commercially published titles.

On Demand Book Machine Debuts at New York Library

Printweek.com notes that the New York Public Library has installed the Espresso Book Machine, from On Demand Books, in its Science, Industry, and Business Library. Espresso software sends a digital file to the machine, which then automatically prints, binds and trims the book within minutes. A small footprint allows the Espresso Machine to comfortably fit in shops and libraries.

At the New York Public Library, users will be able to have out-of-copyright works from the Open Content Alliance's collection of some 200,000 titles printed free of charge, and certain in-copyright titles will also be available free.

Espresso machines are scheduled to be installed at the New Orleans Public Library, the bookstore at University of Alberta in Canada, the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, Vermont, and at the Open Content Alliance in San Francisco. 

L.A. to San Diego: "I Feel the Need to Read" Bookstore Tour

The Southern California Booksellers Association is encouraging booklovers to "escape the heat of the dog days of summer and head to San Diego with us" on its Los Angeles to San Diego "I Feel the Need to Read" Independent Bookstore Tour. The tour will leave from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 18. The bus ride will feature Harley Jane Kozak (Dead Ex, Doubleday), as well as coffee, juice, and pastries.

Tourists can also join the bus at a stop at San Diego's Mysterious Galaxy at 10:00 a.m. The tour will also include lunch and snacks. The stores visited will be: Mysterious Galaxy (San Diego), Yellow Book Road (La Mesa), Bay Books (Coronado), Warwick's (La Jolla), Book Works (Del Mar), and the San Diego Museum of Art (Balboa Park).