Good news! The American Booksellers Association announced this week a new contract with Kobo, which will take effect in a few months and replace the ABA’s old agreement with Google ebooks that expires at the end of this year. Independent bookstores all over the country and the world will soon be working with Kobo through the ABA to offer an affordable and more flexible alternative to another more, ahem, proprietary ereader and ebook provider who shall not be named. Kobo offers applications that allow their books to be read on other devices such as Nooks and iPads. BookPeople will be launching its official website by the end of the year and with it, Kobo ebooks and perhaps Kobo e-readers. Sales proceeds from Kobo ebooks through our website will be shared between us and Kobo – making it possible for customers anywhere to support their favorite local bookstore and still enjoy digital books.
We will keep you posted here about this issue. Watch for more news later in September.
Okay, I really must get an ereader and join the 21st century.