ACP executive director Kate Edwards was among the participants at the Arts in Digital World Summit, convened by the Canada Council for the Arts (March 15–17). Further to Q&Q’s interview with Simon Brault on the summit, she offers the following reflections on Canadian publishers’ engagement in the digital world.

Last month’s Arts in a Digital World Summit, hosted by the Canada Council for the Arts in Montreal, brought together more than 250 artists, producers, arts organizations, academics, and technologists to explore the intersection between the arts and digital technology. Part conference with big-picture, blue-sky keynotes; part facilitated workshop to explore the big questions the sector is facing today; and part discussion around specialized research and case studies; the summit challenged participants to consider the future of the arts in a society that is increasingly digital. At the end of its two days, the summit made clear that Canadian artists and arts organizations need to be at the table when government, business, and other sectors explore our shared future and the role digital will play in shaping our culture, economy, and democracy. This will be critical for Canadian writers and publishers as digital continues to influence the way Canadians consume and access cultural content.

If the summit was a call to act on digital opportunity, independent Canadian publishers are well on their way and remain poised to experiment with emerging technologies and reach new audiences. Over the past decade, Canadian firms have adopted digital workflows, invested in training and professional development for their staff, and now employ a full range of digital marketing tools to bring books in all formats to readers. In response to consumer adoption of smartphones, tablets, and e-readers, today you will find Canadian books available for sale through major ebook vendors including Kindle, Kobo, and the Apple iBookstore, and through a variety of digital platforms that serve public libraries and their patrons.

Collective initiatives, too, have contributed to publishers’ engagement in the digital marketplace, enabling publishers of all sizes to seize the opportunity digital presents. Over the last 15 years, BookNet Canada has supported the adoption of best practices and standards in supply chain management using digital tools and systems, and is recognized internationally for its leadership in this area. The programs and services of eBOUND Canada have evolved for close to 10 years, first providing conversion services and now distributing titles on behalf of 70 independent Canadian publishers in more than 100 territories around the world. Though print persists as the format of choice for most readers, since the organization’s founding eBOUND’s retail and wholesale agreements have consistently generated more revenue year over year from the sale of Canadian books, revenue that has been passed on to publishers and in turn Canadian writers. And 49th Shelf, now in its seventh year of operation, is addressing the challenge of discoverability online, having become a hub for conversation around Canadian books and providing a springboard for other collective initiatives like All Lit Up and BC Books Online. The challenge of discoverability remains, but collectively, independent Canadian publishers have made great strides in metadata management and search engine optimization.

This is not to say that publishers’ work around digital is complete. There will continue to be new technologies to understand and master, and new distribution channels to serve. The early ePub files that Canadian publishers produced almost a decade ago are now reaching the end of their life and need upgrades to ensure compatibility with various retail platforms. Search engines and algorithms are the new gatekeepers, demanding ever-more sophisticated metadata management. Accessibility requirements are of increasing importance, and digital solutions are now available to serve readers with a variety of disabilities. Business models continue to shift, and fair compensation for digital works remains a critical issue for both creators and publishers. Copyright law must remain relevant, regardless of format.

Though the challenges are many, Canada’s independent publishers have already shown that they are ready to meet them head on. Our goal remains bringing books to readers, and we have more channels than ever before to do so. The willingness to act on digital opportunity already exists. What is needed is space to continue to adapt, experiment, and create, and the support of government partners to do so.

Kate Edwards is the executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers.