Although many eyes are focused on the growing market for electronic trade books, Franklin Electronic Publishers has been making money selling electronic reference works—from medical reference titles to "speaking" foreign-language dictionary devices—for many years.
Now Franklin is introducing a series of devices produced in tandem with new content agreements from reference and religious publishers and other organizations. "We're offering new e-book products that can be used to supplement print books," said Elizabeth Mackey, v-p for content acquisition at Franklin.
Among the new e-content devices is Franklin's Pagemark, a clip-on bookmark-style dictionary. The device includes a Merriam-Webster dictionary and a five-language translating dictionary. Other new devices offer Bibles and Bible concordances.
In addition, Franklin has released an English-language dictionary/thesaurus and foreign-language dictionary—a $49 device that not only speaks the words and their definitions but can accept new downloadable e-book content. Content can also be loaded into the device via a Franklin Bookman content disk. "We sold 278 of these on QVC in six minutes," said Kay Raymond, Franklin regional sales manager. Franklin is also offering a $99 device that can speak and allows the user to add new content. It comes loaded with Merriam-Webster's Collegiate dictionary, 11th edition. "It's the 10-year update of the dictionary. We're doing a simultaneous release in print and digital, with Merriam-Webster," said Raymond. Franklin is also releasing a Scrabble dictionary in conjunction with the National Scrabble Association.
The main marketing channel for the company's reference devices has been consumer electronic outlets, but Franklin is considering wider bookstore distribution for its electronic reference works. Franklin distributes its digital Bibles and religious reference works through 2,500 Christian Bookseller Association stores, Mackey told PW, "and they sell very well."
