2009 TOC Conference, was an interesting experience for me. When I first heard about it,I thought the focus might be CMS and platforms, topics dear to my heart, but the focus is actually next generation book publishing and business models.

That means I learned alot more about how "What is Amazon going to do?" is a critical motivator for publishers , about publishing's interest in the eBook, the PDF, the mobil interface and the Kindle, as well as the DRM divide.

Among the more mainstream speakers (ie core to the focus of this conference), are the following, all collected in a Best of TOC book on demand:

• Sara Lloyd
• Bob Stein
• Kate Eltham
• Kassia Krozser
• Peter Brantley

Presos of note were also given by Cory Doctorow, Peter Brantley, Nick Bilton and, of course, Jeff Jarvis, who did a great job discussing his new book.

Last words from Calvin Reid at Publisher's Weekly who said: "The TOC conference alternates between the confusing and the inspiring, the revelatory and the perfectly obvious, which I suppose is the best way to describe the current moment in book publishing."

So now we have Peter Brantkey of the Digital Library Federation--his topic is how digitized literature can empower us in ways we have not imagined--DLF is an org of large research libraries--Traditionally, books are read in a private and quiet space....but reading is also a social product(says Peter). 

Reading is being redefined as information delivery, engaging with others around data and books are all changing.

Reading digitally is much more of a social act. Reading as embedded in a network of people and books in a new way.

So what is published..is less about the book but the people who read them. (Susan sez: Do I believe this, not sure).

Digitize ALL nonfiction & translate them, indexed & searchable,multiple languages as a transformative idea.

(Susan sez: Seems like book people are (still) obsessed with semiotics, hypertext)

so yesterday I flew from San Francisco to New York. Getting off the plane last night, I headed to baggage and then out into the terminal. Since it was late, I'd reserved a car; the fellow was there with a sign for me.

"Hi." I went over.
"Tim O'Reilly says hello," he replied
"Huh?" I was confused. Did this guy just drive Tim O'Reilly?
"A man got off the plane, saw my sign, came over and said "Is that Susan Mernit? Tel hr Tim O'Reilly says hi.'"

"Oh!" I started laughing, and as we walked to his car, I just thought, Hey, you don't always need twitter.