Conference 2010: The Impact of Digitisation

Speaker: Len Vlahos.

Sales of e-books were five percent of the total book market in the United States in 2009. The projected figures for 2010 put the figure at 10 percent. Real books may never die, but what if the e-book plateau achieves 40 percent of the market?

No bookshop can lose that amount of turnover and survive, says Len Vlahos, Chief Operating Officer of American Booksellers Association. Yet the possible future encroachment of e-books on the real books market may not be that damaging to bookstores if they embrace the digital age and are prepared.

Vlahos’ thoughtful and informative address to Booksellers Conference on August 29 on future developments is now available to view in four parts below:

The Impact of Digitisation on US Booksellers - Len Vlahos

PART ONE:

PART TWO:

PART THREE:

PART FOUR:

Len Vlahos - Chief Operating Officer, American Booksellers Association

Len Vlahos, a 17 year veteran of the American Booksellers Association, has served as ABA’s communications director, e-commerce director, education director, and is currently the Chief Operating Officer.

Prior to joining ABA Len worked in independent, chain and university bookstores. Len will discuss the American experience of the introduction of e-books and e-readers and there impact on the traditional bricks and mortar bookshops.