A database/website: I want this book Published as an Ebook.

[Cavelion]

I would love to hear feedback and ideas from the ebook reading community about the following idea I had: an "I want this book in EbookForm Published"-wishlist/database.
If anyone mentioned this before, well sorry, but I haven't immediately found anything related searching the MobileRead-fora.

The idea is as follows.
Someone should make a website with a database behind it.
In that database Publishing houses could list all of their current and out of print books. We readers could also add titles missing in the database.
Books could be marked as either published in ebook form or not.
To all of those that are not published, anyone with an account could add a vote. (Voting for books is unlimited, but ofcourse only one vote per book).
Furthermore per book you should be able to indicate a maximum price you would pay for that specific book.
A great incentive to get this system working quickly if a coupon system was tied to the database. Ebook shops, could integrate those coupons in their system. In that way if a publisher wanted a reduction/rebate coupon could be offered to all of those who voted for the book to be published.

This system has the tremendous advantage that it could unite readers into alerting publishing firms that their books are clearly wanted.
Publishing houses even get a indication of the possible sales numbers and price range.

Of course it would be best if they system works indepently from any known ebook shops. I actually hope that some big publishing firm reads this and speaks about it to fellow publishers to start such a system and share the costs of hosting this application. Or I need to contact perhaps Google to get this launched. If I get enough feedback we probably could. They are interested in getting all books digitalised anyway, and it would be a way to make publishers happy. Google can put adds on the pages.

I would hate if a single company like Amazon, Fictionwise, BooksonBoard, Barnes&Nobles, ... would launch such a site as it would spread our readers thin, and also would generate a lot of false figures. A vote at each shop would still only be one vote. And a book with a million votes in reality has only a couple of thousands, make the system inadequate for Publishing firms.

Now if Google would host the website. Publishing firms, could indicate certain books, with low interest as Public Domain, a let Google publish it for free.
In the end all books would be digitised, those with enough interest paid for by the readers, and low interest books do not get lost forever.

Also if going with Google: Google could indicate a preferred format like e-pub.
And maybe prices can be lower if Google would share ads-income with the publishing houses. Ebook-shops selling a book could be added so that people can find a shop to buy the book. And Google may host any public domain book.

Another aspect. Google could maybe get the rights to publish a book for reading online. Since lots of ereaders are getting wireless capabilities, this shouldn't really be limiting. For those readers who like to read without ads or offline. The book could be provided for a fee, to be decided together with the publishing firm.

I could list this with more details, but I think the basics are covered, and I would let Google or the Publishing houses fill in the details.

Also not thought of yet how to get the following sorted out: current Publishing rights are based on location US/America only, worldwide, ...

Another advantage: Translations of popular books could be added aswell. So one book could be found in as many translations as it has been published. This would probably help Google with their Google Translate project aswell, if millions of translated books are analysed we maybe are finally able to up the quality of computer translations.

Cavelion

[EowynCarter]

I like the idea. But alas, i don't think publishers listen to anything we say...