Cirrus@Austlit

'Publishing is an industry steeped in rules and conventions, controlled by laws and contractual agreements, and heavily invested in practices of careful production and reproduction. But it is also currently undergoing drastic change. Digital technologies have reshaped the practices of writing, editing, typesetting, printing, distributing and buying books. And as political movements like #metoo ripple through the creative industries, the social implications of legacy processes of cultural production and valuation are being re-evaluated.

'This collection of essays draws together contributions from established and emerging scholars and industry practitioners to explore contemporary Australian publishing’s relationship to the past. How does knowledge transfer occur within and between presses? How do gender and race shape participation in the industry? And how can scholars, librarians, and publishers work together to improve and future-proof the industry?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'This collection of essays by established and emerging scholars of Australian publishing examines the industry in the wake of both the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 and the various shocks and upheavals associated with the rise of ebooks. The authors here look beyond the digital, so prominent in many considerations of contemporary publishing, to questions of the book as a material artefact. As consumer trends increasingly suggest print will remain the central medium for the global publishing industry, it is asked if the messy state of affairs existing now, 'after' the digital revolution, can be described as 'post-digital'. With reference to a range of cultural, economic and technological issues, these essays examine how publishers are leveraging the possibilities afforded by multiple modes of dissemination. Contributors include David Carter, Sarah Couper, Mark Davis, Beth Driscoll, Ben Etheringtson, Lisa Fletcher, Sybil Nolan, Tracy O'Shaughnessy, Anne Richards, Emmett Stinson, and Kim Wilkins.' (Publication summary)