Creating an Ebook

[smidsy]

Anyone know of the best way to create an ebook.
I have managed to lay hands on a fairly rare book which I intend to re-create in electronic format for personal and family reading - yes I know there is copyright issues but this book has been out of print for 20 years.
The book is mainly text with some black and white photos, my first inclination is to scan the book page by page.
Does anyone know of any software that would streamline this process, allow organisation of the files and recognise each page as a page and not a scanned image.

I have had a look on google but it's information overload, I'm hoping for some advice and information from someone who's done this before.
Cheers
Paul

[Scott]

At first thought I would probably organise the book itself and export it as a PDF file. From there you would need something like Adobe Acrobat Pro or similar to compile the pages.

[NCArcher]

- yes I know there is copyright issues but this book has been out of print for 20 years.


Copyright is valid for 70 years after the authors death. Probably still in copyright and making a copy is an infringement.
Just so you know. :U

[steamingbill]

Hello,

Check your scanner software.

I have a HP printer/scanner.

It allows me to scan one page after another and keeps on appending the pages to a single pdf file.

Alternatively if your scanner doesnt allow this then some pdf readers allow you to print and append to another pdf file.

Bill

[Master Splinter]

If you can scan to a PDF, make sure you scan at 300dpi as - from Acrobat Reader 9 and on - you can get acrobat to OCR the text as well, so you get the best of both worlds!

And copyright these days is essentially perpetual thanks to Mickey Mouse (every time he looks like going public domain, Disney pays its Senators lobbies to get the time period extended).

[Jonzjob]

Just as a matter of interest, have you had a look to make sure that the book isn't already an e-book?

There are loads of freebies to and you can change the format to your reader using this calibre - E-book management (http://calibre-ebook.com/)

It's a freebe too. I use it a lot now I've discovered it..

[Jonzjob]

Just noticed the date on this thread :C:o I would guess that you have already done the job by now :B

[smidsy]

Still waiting for the book to arrive from interstate - it's probably sitting in my PO box but I was too lazy to check it today.

As for copyright, I am half tempted to email the publisher (from a throwaway email address) offering them the files with no charge for my labour so they can make the book available as a paid download.
I'll share title and details when I'm done, suffice to say it's a local history book and one of the best reads I have ever had.

[Jonzjob]

Just noticed the date on this thread :C:o I would guess that you have already done the job by now :B

I do believe that I will have to take it easy on the red stuff, but living in the biggest vineyard in the world makes that a tad difficult. I had the idea that this thread was a couple of years old :B:B

[seriph1]

Copyright is more complex than simply copying something for personal use being a breach but I believe the author would likely have an electronic copy of their work. It is likely your good intentions could result in creating more trouble than its worth.

Are you sure the book isn't available in digital format?

[smidsy]

I'm a qualified library technician and I've been online 17 years - if this book was findable I would have found it.

[Jonzjob]

Good grief! Does that mean you mend libraries :o:o

I'll get me hat :B