The transition to the digital age
The transition to the digital age
For many years now, Québec publishers have been studiously thinking about the transition to electronic books in an effort to develop approaches that match the needs and characteristics of Québec's market, especially as concerns publishing, electronic formats, distribution and retail sales. The first steps in producing purely electronic versions of books have been taken in Québec in the area of scientific books, whose limited circulation is a commercial obstacle for hardback copies.
The main digital publishing initiative in Québec is the one by DeMarque, a company that has developed a “digital warehouse” that serves as a comprehensive distribution platform and a digital showcase for Québec books with programs like La Hutte (for iPads) and Web sites like livresquebecois.com where consumers can buy hardback or electronic copies of Québec books.
Québec technology has also attracted key international players. In France, the De Marque platform is being used by Eden Livres, which includes Gallimard, La Martinière and Flammarion. In Italy, Edigita, which is also based on the DeMarque technology, includes three of the largest publishing groups in the country: Feltrinelli, Messaggerie Italiane/GEMS and RCS/Rizzoli.
The changing face of literary creation
Creators use digital technologies to create never-before-seen interactive and multidisciplinary works of literature. New events, such as the Twitterature Festival, are dedicated to promoting emerging forms of art that are made possible by digital platforms.
