BTW News Briefs

Kobo Arc Wins Product Design Award

The Kobo Arc, a 7" Google-certified eReading tablet, has been awarded a 2013 red dot: Product Design award. Kobo impressed a panel of 37 experts and was selected with 14 other winners from more than 4,600 entries across 19 categories. The international product design competition has existed since 1955, and its “red dot” is a recognized quality seal.

“To be recognized by the red dot organization for our commitment to design is thrilling,” said Jean-Marc Dupuis, managing director of Kobo. “Kobo has proven yet again that it designs and develops industry-leading eReading devices that perfectly blend technology and aesthetics so that readers can focus on the stories they love.”

The red dot awards ceremony will take place on July 1, 2013 in Essen, Germany’s Aalto-Theater opera house. Starting July 2, 2013 the Kobo Arc will be on display during a four-week special exhibition in the red dot design museum in Essen, where design enthusiasts will have an opportunity to experience the prize-winning design of Kobo Arc.

First Book Names HarperCollins and Lee & Low Books “Stories for All” Project Winners

A month ago, First Book, a nonprofit literacy organization serving low-income communities, reached out to the publishing industry with the offer to purchase $500,000 worth of books featuring voices that are rarely represented in children’s literature: minorities, characters of color, and others whose experiences resonate with the children that it serves. The organization reported yesterday that the response to its proposal had been overwhelming and that it had in fact chosen two winners from whom it would purchase $500,000 worth of books each: HarperCollins and Lee & Low Books

“With these major purchases, First Book is continuing to harness market forces to create social change; by aggregating the untapped demand for books and resources in thousands of low-income communities, we’re helping to create a new market for the publishing industry,” the First Book blog reported. “When that happens, they respond by publishing more titles with more relevant content. Everyone really does win, and that’s how you make real, systemic change both possible and sustainable.”

Ingram Partners With Taylor & Francis in E-Textbook Initiative

Vital Source Technologies, Ingram Content Group’s e-textbook solution, and Taylor & Francis, a publisher of academic books, journals, and online reference content, have announced Routledge Interactive, a new product alliance that will give students who purchase a Routledge Interactive textbook 12-months complimentary access to the e-textbook through the VitalSource Bookshelf® platform. Titles will include specially tailored interactive content, ranging from embedded videos to walkthroughs and quizzes. Users will also be able to share notes through the Bookshelf platform.

The VitalSource Bookshelf platform, which supports EPUB3, can be accessed online or via download, on a variety of device types including Mac®, Windows®, iPad®, Android®, and Kindle Fire®.

Simon & Schuster to Distribute Good Books

 Effective June 1, Simon & Schuster will handle sales, distribution, and fulfillment for all of Good Books’ frontlist and backlist titles in the U.S., Canada, and the open market.

Good Books is an independent publishing company, based in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Its title categories include cooking, health, inspirational fiction, family/parenting, quilting, restorative justice, and Amish and Mennonite subjects.