It’s been a bit less than two months since the latest Cites & Insights appeared.
The next C&I will not appear on July 10, 2011, which would be exactly two months.
Yes, there will be a “next Cites & Insights.” No, I’m not sure when it will appear. But I thought a non-progress report might be in order.
Progress toward making C&I more viable
None. No donations. Two print purchases of the L2.0 Reader (for a total of five purchases to date). Looking at views for the “speedbump” versions of the essays in that compilation, it appears that most people who link to the original essay don’t really care enough about it to either buy the book or type in the new link…assuming that these are really people at all, not just bots and spiders.
On the other hand, readership for the “traditional” issue isn’t bad–more than 900 to date for each essay, combining issue downloads and essay views.
Progress on other fronts
The eventuality that might keep me firmly in the fold for a while longer: Not quite there yet.
My current book project, one I continue to be excited about–and one I really do believe belongs in every public library and many academic libraries: Great. I’m doing the third editorial pass now (conforming to ITI’s style book, even if that means inserting Oxford commas, and making other changes based on an offline “red pen” review of the manuscript). The fourth pass, probably next week, will combine one final paragraph-by-paragraph readthrough and a set of visual tweaks, before submitting the “manuscript” (really a fully-formatted book in PDF and Word form, because of the nature of this project).
Digression, but not really: If you’re a public librarian or academic librarian who thinks “micropublishing”–very short-run books serving family and micro-niche needs, with total editions running from two to maybe 500 copies–is a neat idea, I’d love to have you review and possibly write a blurb for my book. Send me email (waltcrawford at gmail dot com) by August 1, if possible.
I’m deliberately not starting on any C&I essays until that book is on its way to the publisher for editorial review and editing suggestions…
…but I do plan to write the next C&I before I start working on the book after that (which isn’t due until March 2012 and not wanted until then).
Another digression that’s not really a digression: Writing this post is in keeping with my full focus on getting the book done as well and as promptly as possible. For the editing pass I’m doing now, and the one after that, I find that it’s essential to do one chapter at a time, taking a significant break between chapters. This post is being written during one of those breaks.
Best guess
Chances are, the next C&I will appear in late July or early August. It might be dated August 2011; it might be dated August-September 2011. A lot depends on other things that might happen over the next few weeks.
Beyond that? Absent sponsorship or clear evidence that C&I is yielding indirect revenue (e.g., speaking engagements, book sales), C&I needs to return to the priority it had for me early in the millennium: Something I do when I’m enjoying it and not doing something that does yield some income.
Who knows? That might even yield a better, if less frequent, ejournal.
Walt, you new book project sounds incredibly timely and useful. I would be happy to give it a positive note in my blog or other writings if you think that would help.
Will: A note in your blog would be much appreciated…once the book comes out (prob. in time for next year’s Computers in Libraries conference, given that ITI is publishing it–thus, early next year). It will be timely and useful, I believe.
If you’re interested in possibly writing a blurb for the book, let me know; I can email you a copy of the PDF when it goes in for professional editing (around end of July).
Sure, I’d be honored to do a blurb. Micropublishing is a concept that definitely interests me. Can’t wait for the text. I see so many possibilities here to expand the role of the public library and to use technology to enhance and diversify traditional book production.