Now that we are snugly wrapped inside of second quarter 2010 and we’ve seen the release of the iPad, the rise of the Kindle, and the results of the recession on books, bookstores and publishers we can state with confidence that the sky is not, indeed falling.  As a matter of fact, the fate of books is solid, if not a bit altruistic according to independent publisher The Way Things Are in the company’s official statement on the subject released yesterday.

“Digital technology should be embraced by forward-thinking publishers, however the critical role of print cannot be understated. This is an opportunity for the industry as a whole to evolve and at the same time preserve an important component to our civilization’s history. While we can throw most things into the digital world, we should keep the most important things in a bound record that can be passed on through the generations with no fear of the fickle, changing, and unpredictable world of technology.”

As publisher for The Way Things Are Publications, I have a certain obligation to ensure the future of publishing is sound, however, it is not necessarily in my interest to make sure books are safe. Let’s face it: eBooks are cheaper, easier and more environmentally friendly to produce and if that’s what consumers want than it is my obligation to deliver it. However, from a philosophical point of view, and certainly from the point of view of bookstores, there is an obligation to preserve the printed book, if even for the permanence of recording our knowledge for future generations.

The statement by The Way Things Are gives the industry a sound argument for not only preserving the printed book in addition to eBooks, but to save that medium for our best and highest quality work. If we do this, than book buyers will know they can trust bookstores for selling the best books us publishers can provide and more importantly, our books will continued to be read generations down the road.