Looking to establish a central online repository for all kinds of information on books and authors, Dick Harte, founder of BookSite.com, a network of online independent bookstores, has joined forces with Publishers Weekly and several other nonfinancial industry supporters, to launch PubLink, a nonselling book information Web site aimed at book-buying Web consumers.
Harte told PW that PubLink (www.publink.net) will provide an opportunity for publishers to "reach the marketplace unedited and make searching for book information more convenient." Publishers Weekly (in combination with Library Journal and School Library Journal) will be a 50% partner in the venture. The magazines will also supply book reviews to PubLink. Currently, the other official supporters include Ingram, the Authors Guild, Foreword magazine and HarperCollins. Described as "contributors" on the PubLink site, they will provide a variety of nonfinancial support, including updated title information, author information, reviews and small press information and a wide variety of promotional and general support.
Harte called PubLink "a portal site for books," and emphasized that the site will be simple but provide comprehensive information to the general Web book-buying public. Data will range from bibliographic information, cover art and annotations to award winners, bestseller information, reviews and author portraits.
He emphasized that the site will not sell books, that it will be operated separately from BookSite.com and that it is open to all publishers and booksellers. Indeed, the site will be able to point consumers to a wide variety of retailers. PubLink has licensed Random House's Bookstore locator, an online database of brick and mortar bookstores around the country, and Publink is currently compiling its own directory of online bookstores.
Harte said he hopes the database will eventually provide information on between 500,000 and one million "active" titles and point to more than 170 online retailers. Harte said that PubLink will enable publishers, booksellers and authors to link consumers back to their own book-related sites.
The site will be in a pilot phase through October. Publishers are being solicited to provide marketing and consumer information about their lists and set up links to their Web sites or to author Web sites. They can also post reviews (authors are encouraged to post comments about their own books). The site is now posting information for free, but eventually publishers will be charged a fee ($1 per title per month) for carrying their information.
Jamie Hill, PubLink's director, told PW the site will initially be promoted online through "a referral network of library Web sites and school professionals." He also noted a strong response from small publishers: "It's a way for them to attract traffic to their own sites without heavy expense."
Publisher Reaction
Publishers contacted by PW were both enthusiastic and a bit wary. Sandi McCusker, Internet marketing manager at Prentice Hall, told PW that while PH had "made no commitment," the publisher was considering participation. She said that PubLink seemed "a little fuzzy -- there's no selling component. But we support any effort to provide complete and accurate content information." James Middlemas, marketing specialist at Coaches Choice, a small press specializing in books and videos on coaching sports, told PW, "We think PubLink will help our newly revamped Web site. It gives people information without sales pressure and points them to the right retailer."
Fred Ciporen, publisher of PW, LJ and SLJ, also emphasized that PubLink is not "competitive with online retailing sites. The Web opens new ways of reaching book buyers. It makes buying-decision information available and allows the consumer to decide which bookseller to order from. We have heard from independent booksellers that they are pleased by the range of stores in PubLink's directory. We believe this new venture extends PW's historic role of providing the information needed to stimulate book sales."
