The book market during digitalization epoch: What should the libraries know. (Based on the materials of 2019 London Book Fair)

Abstract

The paper continues to review ideas, technologies and solutions discussed at the London Book Fair 2019. There are two through lines of technology development. First, our “new” technology is derivative of earlier technologies, similar to Darwinian evolution. Second, each of those earlier technologies resulted in upheaval, uncertainty, and unrest. The blockchain platform is already taking a transformative role in supply chain management, music licensing, recordkeeping. Rights transactions for creative works happen in myriad ways. First you have a book deal, then video deal, then e-book licensing deal or a video game deal or a merchandising deal. With blockchain, all those deals can be united in a “smart contract”. The launch by the European Research Council of the Coalition S consortium with the goal of making “full and immediate Open Access to research publications a reality” was a major development in open access last year. Open access must be based on a sustainable model. Copyright was created to encourage and reward creativity. We should not expect copyright to constantly contort itself into something for which it was not intended. Policy focus is now on "democratizing knowledge” and ensuring as many people as possible can tap into this rich natural resource of mankind.