Two changes effective today for Balanced Libraries: Thoughts on Continuity and Change:
- The book is now available in my CreateSpace bookstore, ISBN 978-1434805256.
- The price at Cites & Insights Books at Lulu or the new estore (I’m not quite clear how to customize it yet) is the same: $29.50 plus shipping
The book should also be available on Amazon, but only the U.S. site, tomorrow or the next day, at either $29.50 or a discounted price. (Amazon listing is supposed to be automatic with CreateSpace, but there may be a delay). Update: Checking the CreateSpace FAQ carefully, it can be 15 days or more for the Amazon listing to show up.
Another update, August 27, 2007: The book now shows as live on Amazon, and I can find the book page via the ISBN but not yet through “Walt Crawford” or “Balanced Libraries.” Orders are being accepted, but since the official publication date is set as September 1, orders won’t ship until then. It appears that Amazon is quoting $29.00 rather than $29.50 as both list and their price. End update
Differences between the versions:
- The cover is better–crisper and with better color–on the Lulu version, but the CreateSpace/Amazon cover is OK.
- Both books use heavy 60lb. paper, but the CreateSpace/Amazon version uses bright white paper where the Lulu version uses cream “book” paper. To my eye, the Lulu version is prettier–but the CreateSpace/Amazon version may be easier to read, since the contrast is higher. (If you’re comparing this to, say, ALA Editions trade paperbacks–the CreateSpace paper is heavier and considerably whiter.)
- I removed the “Continue the Conversation” page at the end of the book, since the post-per-chapter idea didn’t really work. I also added “Mountain View, CA” to “2007” under “A Cites & Insights Book” on the title page and noted the edition change on the title verso.
- The CreateSpace/Amazon cover has an ISBN. The Lulu version will continue not to have an ISBN.
- My revenue per copy is a little bit lower at the CreateSpace estore than at Lulu. It will be substantially lower at Amazon–but if it’s more convenient to order via Amazon, that’s fine with me. (It will still be a little higher than via Lulu at the old price–but only by a few cents.)
I’m still waiting for the Lulu proof of Public Library Blogs: 252 Example…and will certainly blog as soon as it’s available (assuming that it’s OK, which I do–but I’m not quite sure enough to open it for sale without seeing it!). It’s here and I think it looks great: here’s the initial announcement with more to follow.
interesting. my first thoughts with my lulu copy were 1) really nice inside paper 2) poorly done cover (sorry!)
The cover seems a bit blurry or something and I couldn’t really figure out what the picture was of/about … sort of thin paper, too, for the quality of the interior.
IMHO.
Christina: That suggests to me that your copy is defective–but using a wraparound photo is, admittedly, difficult for cover printing. Still, the beach in the foreground should be fully in focus, as should the palm tree on the back cover (both a little “soft focus” on the proof CreateSpace/Amazon copy). The sailboat should clearly be a sailboat, even if it’s a bit soft-focus.
The cover stock is, as far as I can tell, exactly the same weight used in other trade paperbacks, including those from ALA Editions and ITI.
It’s possible you got a bad copy. Of course, you may simply dislike the cover design, and that’s your privilege–after all, you’re mostly paying for what’s inside the cover.