eBook far from substituting physical book, segments readers based on necessity and use, and publishers must search for a new value for books, are some of the conclusions reached by the panel of experts.

Among the activities of the recently held ConsuMiami, the future of the book vs. the digital shadow was discussed. A panel moderated by Mario Buisan, Councilor for the Spanish Economic and Trade Office in Miami, and participation of writers Carmen Posadas, Jose Ignacio Valenzuela and Les Standiford, editors Miguel Tapia and Antonio María Avila, and bookseller Mitchell Kaplan.

Rarely has it been possible to gather all involved in the digital revolution that is affecting the publishing world.

The digital era has radically changed the literary business. The new electronic gadgets, increasingly smaller, with more capacity and faster updates, have diverted the purchase off the work to the medium.

In this way publishers must change their POV and find ways to give a new definition and value to books, change their social perception to reach a new kind of consumption and consumer.

Mario Buisán, Councilor for the Spanish Economic and Trade Office in Miami, stressed that it is undeniable that ebooks already are the future of the literary world. It is therefore a necessity for publishers to find their niche in this new scenario, respond to the growing demands of consumers, and adapt rapidly to technological change.

Spanish writer Carmen Posadas, argued that “this is uncharted territory that can be compared with the aftermath of the appearance of video tapes. Like now, it was unknown what would be the future of theatre and cinema”. She added that “the ebook offers me basic information, what I call sustain, but when I want to enjoy a literary Feast then I read a book”.

According to Miguel Tapia, Santillana Publishing Manager, the ebook has changed the publishing world and highlights three key points that have come as a result:

1. A complete globalization. Now you can have books anywhere in the world which is a good thing and a great opportunity for the United States, mainly for Hispanics because it facilitates access to books written in Spanish.
2. There are new players in the market. They are those who come from the book world and even some with no previous contact with this sector, so new courses of action have come up.
3. The price has felt the effect. Elasticity of demand is now very large. A book of 19 dollars, as an ebook costs 6. The consumer can decide the reading experience he/she want.

Jose Ignacio Valenzuela, Chilean writer and screenwriter, pointed out that there are new producers and distributors like Apple and Amazon. For these companies, the world of books is not their core business, as it was for bookseller retailers offering a more human and specialized information. Ebook development would be better and more advanced if Google had not entered as aggressively in distribution. The ecosystem has not been observed. For its part, when Amazon arrived in Spain, VAT tax hadn’t been adequately regulated, a situation that must be improved.

The experts also discussed the important commercial battle between producers of the device. The solution would be standardized digital books that work in all devices. In this way, the consumer would avoid taxes from businesses not specialized in the industry.

Mitchell Kaplan, President of BooksBooks and co-founder of the Miami Book Fair, mentioned the bookseller as a differentiating element with whom it is difficult to compete. So he does not view the ebook as a threat, because the consumer can make a double choice more based on the need and use intended for the book. As a result, many libraries have become showcases where the people make their choice before the online purchase. Today, in countries like Spain and France certain agreements to maintain equitable and uniform prices already exist.

“We must ensure that the editorial world holds its ground, because it will be difficult to find funding in the current situation where digital media are hogging the market. It’s noteworthy that many books are first purchased as ebooks and subsequently acquired in physical copy” Kaplan argued. He concluded on the need to seek the formula that makes the coexistence of both formats, ebook and physical copy, possible.

Meanwhile, Les Standiford, American writer, pointed out that “history is told by the writers”. According to Standiford, a proliferation of writers currently exists, arising in a short space of time. This way, anyone can become a successful author. Therefore it is difficult to find a “good book” between all published ebooks.

Jose Ignacio Valenzuela, Chilean writer, has been published since the year 2000. He has experienced a change in commercial ways. “I had to participate in booktrailes, what is sold along with the ebook as an introductory video and prologue” Valenzuela said. He mentioned the resurgence of genres like short tales and poetry, that they were hard to come by a few years back. The ebook gets me closer to my readers thanks to social media, as books are shared through them and comments added” claimed Valenzuela.

Finally, writer Carmen Posadas assured that book readers require increasingly lengthy books as a response to get more for the money paid. And with it, the need to write books that really awaken the reader's interest, quality books.

The physical book reader seeks to maintain the special relationship that unites him and the paper thorugh reading, the difference is mainly in the use you want to make, and they can now choose between two formats the best suited to their needs and preferences.