伦敦书展探索出版业未来

伦敦书展探索出版业未来

Bibliophiles have been swarming to one of the world's major book events in the premier publishing and cultural capital. The London Book Fair has opened its 43rd edition for global publishers to explore and capitalize on the innovations shaping the publishing world.

Most the world's major publishers are congregating in London to publicize their upcoming titles, and to get direct access to customers, content and emerging markets. They are among more than 25,000 publishers, booksellers, literary agents, librarians, media and industry suppliers from over 100 countries attending the fair.

(Photo by Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies)

Besides showcasing the core of publishing, the 2014 London Book Fair is also highlighting the opportunities around aligned multi-media business, which the organizers believe is an exciting reflection of today's book industry.

Global publishers are embracing the opportunities digital technology has brought to the industry. Many have been exploring the possibilities of getting written content presented across an increasingly multi-channel platform. That's also something the London fair can help facilitate.

"I think the London Book Fair is a major institution... London, Frankfurt, these are the major players where people are going to find out what's happening, what's new in technology, what's new in publishing," said Allen Jones, an exhibitor.

One of the Chinese publishers, Liu Zhong, believes the transformation is headed in a good direction.

"Digital technology is actually making publishing available to more people. It's such a thriving industry that no book publisher can ignore it. So we'll always adjust our strategy to stay in tune with the changing demands of readers," he said.

But many insist that even as digital platforms evolve, traditional publishing is alive and still has a competitive edge.

"Clearly when I look around, I don't think the printed book is dead," said Robin Woods, an exhibitor. "There's still market space for printed books as well as digital books. There're things that you can do with digital books and products, but you can't do with paper.”

The three-day fair has organized a variety of activities for participants to discuss the future of publishing. The events include the Publishing for Digital Minds Conference, the London Book and Screen Week, and a Social Media Week.