NSR’s Mirela Roncevic, who launched the Free to Read initiative in 2016 and orchestrated the world’s first attempt to turn an entire country into a Free Reading Zone, will speak at the 10th International Seminar of Public and Community Libraries in Sao Paolo this coming October, with the goal of encouraging and inspiring librarians across Brazil to implement Free Reading Zones (in cooperation with publishers, technology companies, and private and government sponsors).
Since turning Croatia into a Free Reading Zone in December 2016 (read more about the pilot here), Roncevic has been speaking publicly at a number of conferences about Free Reading Zones and the project’s potential to transform how books and knowledge are accessed inside and outside libraries and institutions. The goal and mission of the project is to celebrate the potential of digital books (and digital content in general) to equalize access to knowledge (in ways not seen before) and afford new opportunities for all in the book ecosystem, including librarians, publishers, educators, and readers. Continue reading Introducing Free Reading Zones to Brazilian librarians and publishers
rmation science markets, particularly those catering to consumers and public libraries. They exhibit a great deal of knowledge and sensible arguments about the challenges the publishing community (trade, in particular) has had with ebooks, focusing largely on the shortfalls of various business models to deliver revenue as predictable as revenue from print, the technological issues associated with ‘formats’ that haven’t been able to deliver a fully satisfying reading experience, and, not to be overlooked, the fierce competitiveness within the market itself, which has often resulted in ‘the powerful’ thriving even if their offerings were inferior to those by various start-ups (most of which perished in recent years).
Of course, both humor and tastes in humor vary widely, expanding from visual slapstick to arch punning. The sorts that rely on transmission through language make readily available material for listening readers in search of learning as well as casual entertainment. To be successful on either or both counts, such audiobooks rely heavily on both careful writing and fine acting. Evident humor must expand subject comprehension rather than making it obscure or distasteful to those who might be put off by extreme argot or shocking imagery; while these can themselves be put to good entertainment services, they can also raise defenses among many listeners and thus make learning unlikely.
