|
|
writenews.com
|
Tuesday, March 16, 1999 Media Cynic | Forum | Advertising | Classifieds | Jobs Indie Stores to Have a Significant Presence in Cyberspace The American Booksellers Association (ABA) announced that it has begun construction of an ecommerce Web site that will allow its independent bookstore members to sell books via the Internet. The site, "BookSense.com," will be a part of "Book Sense," the national brand identity campaign being launched by ABA this spring. In addition to raising consumer awareness about the value of independent bookstores, BookSense.com will also allow visitors to buy books online. ABA has partnered with two companies to construct the project. Muze, a leading database company, will supply the core data and online merchandising expertise for BookSense.com; and iXL, a leading strategic Internet services company, will design and build the site architecture and functionality. The blueprint for the site was created jointly by Muze, iXL, the ABA staff and a special "Internet Task Force" of independent booksellers over the last several months. BookSense.com will provide independent bookstores with the ability to have their own Web presence while allowing them to share back-end costs with their colleagues around the country. The back-end will consist of the 1.6 million title Muze database; searching, shopping and transaction processing capabilities; and third-party fulfillment. Participating stores will be provided with national content from the database and other sources, and will also be able to add their own local content, bringing their bricks-and-mortar store directly to their customers on the Web. While bookstores will retain their own brand identity through the BookSense.com program, each individual site will be co-branded with Book Sense. All sales will go directly to the participating stores, and ABA will charge a one-time set up fee and a flat monthly fee for the service. Avin Mark Domnitz, ABA Chief Executive Officer, noted that "this is the most exciting and most complex project ABA has ever undertaken. In addition to working with iXL and Muze to get the core functionality built, we're setting up an entire ecommerce operation within ABA. The scope is daunting, but this is a service that the membership needs and we are proud to provide it." "While I strongly believe that bricks-and-mortar stores will remain the dominant means of selling books, there is no question that online sales are going to continue to grow at an explosive rate," said Mr. Weese, who in addition to serving on the Internet Task Force is also an ABA Board member. "Independent booksellers need exactly what BookSense.com will provide: a cost-effective way of interacting with and selling to our customers online and under our own brand name." Mr. Domnitz noted that the BookSense.com project will be previewed at BookExpo America (April 30 to May 2, Los Angeles Convention Center), and is slated for launch in mid to late summer 1999. He also noted that Len Vlahos, ABA's communications director, will head BookSense.com. Archaeology Magazine Set to Launch Archaeology's DIG for Kids The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) and Archaeology Magazine announced the forthcoming launch of Archaeology's DIG, a new archaeology magazine for kids. The premier issue of Archaeology's DIG is slated for publication this spring and will be available by subscription and on newsstands. Archaeology's DIG is a new bi-monthly magazine dedicated to bringing the excitement, mystery, and fun of archaeological discovery to pre-teens. "DIG is designed to educate its readers on subject matter that includes history, art, mathematics, paleontology, geology, anthropology and more," stated Phyllis Pollak Katz, Publisher of Archaeology's DIG. "This new magazine for kids extends and expands our mission to bring the excitement of archaeological discovery to young people everywhere." Katz also announced that Stephen Hanks has been named Editor-In-Chief. Prior to joining Archaeology's DIG, Hanks was lead editor for national classroom magazines, Scholastic News, (third and fourth grades), published by Scholastic, Inc. During his 22-year career as a magazine editor, Hanks, 43, has been a Managing Editor at Times-Mirror Magazines' custom publishing division, the Editor of Major League Baseball for Kids, and the Editorial Director of KidSports and Sidekicks, and a consulting editor for Sport Magazine. In 1982, Hanks, who has written three books on sports, was the founding editor of New York Sports Magazine. "Our lively departments and in-depth feature stories will cover everything from the search for mummies to the discovery of dinosaur bones, the mysteries of the Sphinx, and the wonders of ancient civilizations," commented Stephen Hanks. "DIG is being written in an entertaining and conversational voice using language that is clear, concise, and age-appropriate. DIG will feature colorful graphics, eye-catching photos, puzzles, games, comics, contests, and stimulating, interactive hands-on projects that will enhance the development of cognitive and practical critical-thinking skills. In addition, a parent/teacher guide will be provided free to subscribers." Archaeology Magazine, based in New York City, has been published for 50 years by the Archaeological Institute of America. Archaeology is dedicated to bringing the excitement of worldwide archaeological discoveries to the public. Additional information on Archaeology is available on Archaeology's web site at www.archaeology.org. American Bible Society Launches Newly Re-Designed Website The American Bible Society has announced the launch of its newly redesigned Website. The site utilizes the latest technological innovations to deliver the content found in the Holy Bible. The mission of the American Bible Society is to provide the Holy Scriptures in a language and form each can readily understand and at a price each can easily afford. The ABS Website enables the Society to accomplish this mission by reaching out to the entirely new online audience. The ABS Website offers a daily reading of the Bible, available in five versions (including Spanish), online tours of The Gallery exhibits, research information on the history of the Bible, The ABS Record magazine, plus an interactive game for kids called Noah’s Ark. The newest features of the site include a catalog of over 500 Bibles, New Testaments and Scripture-related products. Visitors who wish to help the Society continue its work now can donate online. Helping people learn about the Bible is one of the goals of the Society. To accomplish this, a new site area is under construction that will help families, children, scholars and ministers tap into ABS’s rich resources. The Bible Learning Center will include a “Search the Bible” feature that will enable visitors to search the Contemporary English Version of the Bible by Book, Chapter and Verse. Search engines for four additional versions are planned. The Bible Learning Center also will provide learning through interactive games for children, videos and message boards for youth, and research aids for scholars and pastors. Dr. Eugene Habecker, president of the American Bible Society, says that “we are committed to making the ABS Website the first place our online friends will turn to when they want to learn more about the Word of God.” Founded in 1816 and headquartered in New York City, the American Bible Society is a non-profit, non-denominational organization with a rich Judeo-Christian heritage committed to the translation, publication and distribution of the Holy Scriptures. The American Bible Society distributes more than 63 million Bibles, New Testaments and Scripture Portions in the United States each year. Racer Communications Launches New Magazine Champ Car, a new Racer Communications title, will launch in May. The bi-monthly publication from the creators of Racer magazine will provide coverage of the CART FedEx Championship Series plus the PPG Dayton Indy Lights and KOOL Toyota Atlantic championships. Paul Pfanner, founder and president of Racer Communications, said, "A recent survey of Racer's readers indicated strong interest in Champ Car, a title we've been considering for several years. That survey plus the encouragement and support of numerous advertisers tipped the scale." Although an independent publication with no affiliation to CART, Andrew Craig, CART's chairman, president and CEO, welcomed Champ Car's entry. "There is so much going on in our sport right now," said Craig, "that I think the fans will appreciate the depth of coverage that Champ Car will provide." Jeremy Shaw, one of the leading journalists covering open-wheel racing in North America, will edit the new magazine. "I've been closely involved in Champ Car racing for many years," said Shaw, "and, during that time, have witnessed an astonishing period of growth. For me, this is a very exciting opportunity." Shaw has edited the Champ Car Yearbook and On Track. He is a commentator for the CART EuroSport/ESPN race feed and is open-wheel editor for two RACER news organs: RaceWeek, a FAX newsletter, and the news driven website at Racer.com. OASIS Brings Daily Content to XML.com OASIS, the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards, announced that it will provide XML.com, a Web resource for XML professionals, with content in the form of daily XML-related news. OASIS will supply the popular "What's New" page from the OASIS/Robin Cover SGML/XML Web Page for re-publishing on XML.com. As a result of the new agreement between the two organizations, OASIS will become a content provider for XML.com. "Part of the OASIS charter is to serve as a resource to the marketplace by providing reliable, objective information about structured information standards, including XML," explained Bill Smith (Sun Microsystems), vice president of the OASIS board of directors. "OASIS' sponsorship of XML.com will make our XML information accessible to an ever wider audience." "Robin Cover closely tracks the daily developments that impact the XML community, and I'm happy that our partnership with OASIS makes this information readily available for XML developers coming to XML.com," said Dale Dougherty (O'Reilly/Songline Studios), producer of XML.com. XML.com is a collaborative partnership between Seybold Publications and Songline Studios, an affiliate of O'Reilly & Associates. XML.com's mission is to help IT and publishing professionals learn about XML and how it is being applied to real-world problems in information management, publishing and electronic commerce. Click here to return to the homepage of The Write NewsTM Click here to subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter.  www.writenews.com Copyright © 1997-2007 by Writers Write, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
