ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING IN NUMISMATICS

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V17 2014 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 17, Number 5, February 2, 2014, Article 22

In his January 29, 2014 Coin Collector's Blog, Scott Barman discusses the current state of electronic publishing in numismatics. He and Dennis Tucker of Whitman Publications have exchanged views recently in Coin World and elsewhere. Since the above article deals with the Mint's embrace of the latest technology in its field, I thought it would be appropriate to excerpt some of Scott's views on how our hobby has embraced (or has fallen short of fully embracing) the latest technologies in publishing. Be sure to read the compete article online. -Editor

Since my response to Dennis Tucker, Publisher of Whitman Publishing LLC, I have received a mix of private email notes about one phrase: calling physical books ‘Dead Tree Editions.” In the first two hours after the post appeared, I received more than two-dozen email notes running slightly in favor of physical books. As of Wednesday afternoon, the score was 17-15 in favor of real paper.

I do not know the demographics of those who did not volunteer the information, but based on the comments like, “I have been collecting for umpteen years…” or “I was a teenager when clad coins were just beginning…” it does not take much to get a general idea of demographics.

Of the 17 who responded that they prefer paper books over e-book, I am guessing that 12 are like me, members of the AARP demographic (50 and over).

I have no problems with people opting for paper books over electronic edition. My complaint is not with the preference but the availability of e-books that will allow me and everyone else to choose. I understand the need for choice because neither Whitman nor I will convince everyone to only read e-books.

However, if you look at the demographics of the ANA and its future, the next generation that are its future members, the so-called Generation X people, is the first generation of significant technology adapters and e-book readers. Gen X’ers are the first big wave of technology adapters who know of a connected world and have a vague memory of a world before Al Gore invented the Internet.

Right behind Generation X are the Millennials who grew up with the explosion of the Internet and probably have never read a newspaper cover-to-cover. While hobby publishers may have some time adjusting with Generation X, they will lose completely to the Millennials if they do not adapt.

Whitman is not the only publisher that needs to better examine its use of technology. Krause Publications is not much better. Where Whitman lacks in vision, Krause lacks in execution. Rather than embrace electronic publishing that is friendly to e-readers, Krause and F+W Media, its parent, is holding onto the old-style by offering its products using Portable Document Format (PDF) rather than using formats that are friendlier to e-readers.

I have purchased the Krause Standard Catalogues and the various antique guides from F+W on CD or DVD because that is what is available. I use them as part of my hobby and my new professional life in the collectibles business, but I wish I had real e-reader formats so that I can use the tools to bookmark and make annotations. Even the venerable Numismatic News has stuck its publishing toe in the e-publishing waters by making one edition electronic. However, instead of embracing the newsstand formats that would be friendly to an iPad or Kindle e-reader, they are mailing PDF layouts of this publication.

In the meantime, the American Numismatic Association is producing an e-reader friendly version of The Numismatist that is far easier to read than the PDF edition of Numismatic News emailed monthly. Since The Numismatist reader app works well, I stopped receiving the paper edition of The Numismatist opting for a Basic membership and to read the journal electronically. I do not miss the “Dead Tree Edition.”

We had an earlier discussion on the tools numismatic editors use to create their publications; this is more about the tools readers want. As I write this on a Saturday morning, two of my kids are sitting on the living room couch peering into their electronic devices. My younger son has been time-traveling into the future, laughing at the Audi commercial to be aired at tomorrow's Superbowl. My older son has been tripping to the past, announcing at dinner last night that he had a new favorite movie: "Forrest Gump", thanks to Netflix. The same kids carry a back-breaking load of Dead-Tree edition books in their backpacks to school each day. Portable devices aren't just the future, they are the present. But they'll live side-by-side with the old world until that world gradually fades from view. I think there will still be a place for physical books, but the new devices offer a world of possibilities. But I won't miss fat .pdf files any more than I miss punch cards or that high-pitched whine of a modem connecting across an analog phone line. -Editor

To read the complete article, see: What e-publishing means for the hobby (coinsblog.ws/2014/01/what-e-publishing-means-for-the-hobby.html#sthash.vVIZR1D7.dpbs)

Wayne Homren, Editor