Temple ’88, Yankelevich ’95 Discuss the E-Book Revolution

In his recent article in the Christian Science Monitor, Matthew Shaer talked to two graduates working at small presses, Johnny Temple ’88, publisher of Akashic Books in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Matvei Yankelvich ’95, a founding editor at Ugly Duckling Presse. Shaer reported that while conventional books sales are sinking in the current economy, e-book sales have been soaring. He pointed out, however, that it’s not the larger publishing houses who are moving quickly toward mass digitization but the small presses of the independent publishing world.

Temple plans to have e-book content from his company available soon and recognizes both its economic and environmental benefits. Yankelvich says that “many followers of independent publishers have an emotional attachment to the printed word” and isn’t certain poetry readers would buy poetry collections in e-book form. Still, Ugly Duckling Presse has already issued several popular online projects.