Friday, January 19, 2007
The Sampler is published
Maybe it has to do with the subject matter -- being digital and all -- but there was certainly nothing "analogue" about the time it took to produce the New Literacies Sampler collection from the time the proofs were delivered. The proofs headed off to the printers a day or so after Christmas. By the time Michele returned to her office, on 15 January, after the coffee picking in Mexico, the book was on her desk.
Thanks to the chapter authors and all those involved in the production (the Peter Lang New York team and, especially, Sophie Appel), and to Eva Lam and Jabari Mahiri, who read the proofs and turned around their much-appreciated endorsements almost by return, this book has been a pleasure from start to finish.
In fact, the next to last 'act' in the whole thing belonged to Kevin Leander, whose sense of humour leaves us helpless with laughter at regular intervals. It went something like this (and justifies the decision to have Kevin's chapter at the start of the book. You can't leave the last word to this guy .... ever).
Michele emails the contributors to tell them the book is out, and Kevin replies. The exchange goes follows:
Dear all--
I have here on my desk your respective copies of "A New Literacies Sampler" and it's a mighty fine looking book! Congratulations everyone on a super job--and many thanks again from both Colin and me for your fab contributions!
...
Hope this finds you all well and happy and enjoying the start of the new year!
Regards,
Michele & Colin
Dear Michele,
I'm sorry to inform you that I'm still a bit behind on this chapter.
If I get it to you this next week, before you send out the copies,
would that be okay?
yours sincerely,
Kevin
Comments:
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Shades of Larry Lessig. It's a very good question because with the pace of the publication we have neglected to check with Lang on the possibilities of a Creative Commons licence. We couldn't get one for "New Literacies", but haven't asked Lang. We'll write them and ask.
Colin, my name is Eduardo and I am a scholar from Brazil -- we met briefly at the last AERA in SF. My comment came to me as I read some of yours and Lessig's materials and also as I tried to get the book. I realized it is so difficult and expensive to put my hands on it! Then I though I could provoke you a little -- with all due respect. Thanks for the feedback and I hope to see the book "around" soon.
# posted by 
: 4:59 pm
: 4:59 pm
Hi Colin,
I actually just ordered a copy of your book last night! I look forward to working with you in Ontario, CA this summer.
vivian
www.clippodcast.com
I actually just ordered a copy of your book last night! I look forward to working with you in Ontario, CA this summer.
vivian
www.clippodcast.com
Lang have kindly given us permission to put the book online once we have all the authors' permissions. Most of those are already in, with much enthusiasm. So when we have everything in place we will get clean PDFs and create a dedicated website, and make a blog pot with relevant details. Other authors in the book will do the same, and we'll post the info on our respective blogs, lists, etc. Shouldn't be long. We tried to get permission from McGraw-Hill to do the same with the new edition of New Literacies but couldn't get it.
Thanks for getting the book, Vivian. Will look forward to catching up in Ontario. It's a great time for the series just now because we have a number of books in production, and some good concepts in the chain.
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