The O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing 2013

CreativePro Staff Mike Rankin

For almost anyone involved in the design and production of print publications, recent years have been a time of dizzying change. The one constant theme is that of change, with new skills to learn, new delivery formats, new job requirements, and new hardware and software always on the horizon. Making the leap from print to digital can seem like that moment when Dorothy steps out of her house and into the Land of Oz. Indeed, we are not in Kansas any more, Toto. That’s why we have gurus like Pariah Burke giving us a regular look around the world of epublishing. And over the next month, we’ll have several stories about the upcoming O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference, including interviews, reports from the show, and some surprise goodies as well. The conference, which takes place from February 12-14 at the New York Marriott Marquis, offers two days of sessions with expert speakers, plus intensive workshops, roundtable discussions, networking opportunities, and more.

If you are one of the many publishing pros looking to get your skills, knowledge, and connections up to the cutting edge, the Tools of Change conference can offer tremendous value. If you have to make a formal business case for attending, the conference website has all you need. Personally, I’ve attended the event each year since 2009, and last year I was a speaker on the topic of renovating print assets for digital publishing. You can download the slides from my session here.

Here are a few of the sessions at the Tools of Change 2013 conference that creative pros will find valuable:

Achieving Beautiful Typography in eBooks by Anne-Marie Concepción

UX Design for Digital Books: Creating Engaging Digital Reading Experiences Meagan Timney

CSS3 (and HTML!) for Publishers by Nellie McKesson

Mastering Kindle Fixed Layout eBooks by Joshua Tallent

From Eye to Brain: Content Design & the “Last Mile” Problem by Peter Meyers

Reading Books On Pixels And Paper panel discussion

Hands-on Workshop: Creating an Intuitive eBook for Tablets Using HTML5, CSS3 and jQuery Mobile Tyler Martin

Designing And Creating A Social Book App Using Open-source Technologies Haig Armen

Also the conference features a Digital Petting Zoo, where you can get your hands on all the latest and greatest eReaders, tablets, and other devices.

Here’s the official description of the conference from O’Reilly:

Since 2007, the O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference has been the seminal event for professionals and companies engaged with the challenges and opportunities of new publishing technologies and business models. This premier conference brings together smart, highly motivated people from a wide range of companies and organizations to discuss innovative business models, share hard-won knowledge, and explore the strategic objectives of an ever-changing industry.

• Plenary and keynote presentations frame the future of publishing
• Focused, expert-led breakout sessions focus on analysis as well as hands-on, practical advice
• Half-day tutorials and 90 minute workshops dive deep into new and essential skills and tools
• An Exhibit Hall connects attendees with relevant projects, people, products, and services
• Networking events and hallway conversations make it easy for participants to connect directly with each other to swap stories, exchange ideas, and build relationships