Master list of book suggestions with publisher emails??

We need some kind of master list of all title suggestions. On Amazon they have a button to click to let the publisher know that you want to be able to read that book on Kindle. It would be great if there was a list of books that have been suggested, and a place to click by each one to send an email to the publisher letting them know that we want that book in Logos. It could also send an email to suggestions@logos.com

This would serve two purposes:

1. It would let us know that our suggestions have been taken by Logos, since they are on the list.

2. It would give the customers an opportunity to express their desires to Logos and the publishers.

I don't know exactly how it should work, but we need something that helps with communication around here. When a suggestion is made and just sits there, how are we to know that it is being looked into?

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Comments

Bruce Dunning

I like this suggestion and would appreciate the benefits.

Daniel Yoder

That's a great idea. Now how do we get Logos to look into this suggestion?

Lynden O. Williams

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498160#Comment_498160

I second the motion.

Philana Crouch

Great idea, I've actually seen some books that have become available in Kindle after I used this feature. It would be wonderful if the book goes into Community Pricing or Pre-Pub if those who requested the book were notified.

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498170#Comment_498170

Great idea, I've actually seen some books that have become available in Kindle after I used this feature. It would be wonderful if the book goes into Community Pricing or Pre-Pub if those who requested the book were notified.

Actually, this made me think, just as we have Community Pricing and Pre-Publication for books that Logos is feeling out, they could have a new category for "Suggested Title." Clicking on the button would 1. email Logos; 2. email the publisher; and 3. sign you up for an email alert if it becomes available.

I know this would be a lot, but it could only help Logos in the long run. Just looking through the selections would cause people to become interested in titles, just like CP and PP. I am sure we have all bought lots of books that we didn't even know existed when we saw them on CP and PP; I know I have.

Lee

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498174#Comment_498174

A good suggestion. [Y]

Jesse Blevins

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498177#Comment_498177

[Y]

Rosie Perera

[Y]

I know Logos keeps a master list internally of books that have been requested by users. I suspect they don't go to the publishers for permission until they've amassed a certain number of books from that publisher, so they have enough potential sales to make it interesting to the publisher. It might be different with publishers with whom they already have a relationship. Also, they do put more emphasis on books that have gotten multiple requests.

But it would be helpful if that list could somehow be made visible to users so we could vote for books we want with a simple click. Logos might not want to show their cards to the competition, though. So I'm guessing they won't want to put such a list out there for us to see.

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498183#Comment_498183

Logos might not want to show their cards to the competition, though. So I'm guessing they won't want to put such a list out there for us to see.

I see what you're saying, but if they put ALL of the suggestions on the list, then it would not really be giving anything away, except the fact that someone had suggested the title. It could also take business away from competitors, because if Logos customers see that something has been suggested, then they may try to "wait it out" to see if Logos puts the title into production.

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498188#Comment_498188

Logos might not want to show their cards to the competition, though. So I'm guessing they won't want to put such a list out there for us to see.

I see what you're saying, but if they put ALL of the suggestions on the list, then it would not really be giving anything away, except the fact that someone had suggested the title. It could also take business away from competitors, because if Logos customers see that something has been suggested, then they may try to "wait it out" to see if Logos puts the title into production.

I was thinking that if competitors see Logos's list and see that a certain bunch of titles have lots of votes, they might surmise that Logos would be trying to bring those out in Logos format soon, so said competitors might go after the publishers more aggressively to make it first to market, which would give them a leg up.

Lynden O. Williams

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498191#Comment_498191

I was thinking that if competitors see Logos's list and see that a certain bunch of titles have lots of votes,

They do not need to show their hand. Just the list of books, not how much they are being requested.

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498193#Comment_498193

I was thinking that if competitors see Logos's list and see that a certain bunch of titles have lots of votes,

They do not need to show their hand. Just the list of books, not how much they are being requested.

I see. Good point. I was thinking that if we the users could see how many votes there were (as on the UserVoice forum) we could rally the troops for more votes to get more attention on the books we really wanted. Then again, I suppose the UserVoice forum could be used by competitors as well. At some points I guess as a company, you've just got to go ahead with your plans and not worry too much about what the competition is doing. If you're doing it better than they are, you'll get more business. I'm not a business person though, so what do I know.

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498196#Comment_498196

I would also like to see how many votes have been given for each book, but if Logos implements such a feature without giving the number of votes, then I would be great with that. In the case of Amazon's Kindle request feature, it does not show you how many people have voted for said book.

I would like for each book to have a description if possible though, so that people perusing the list might find things that are of interest and cast a vote.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498200#Comment_498200

I would also like to see how many votes have been given for each book, but if Logos implements such a feature without giving the number of votes, then I would be great with that. In the case of Amazon's Kindle request feature, it does not show you how many people have voted for said book.

I would like for each book to have a description if possible though, so that people perusing the list might find things that are of interest and cast a vote.

I too would love to know the number of votes but, if that is not possible, the simple list would do. I concur that a description of each book would be helpful too.

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498205#Comment_498205

I wonder if Logos might comment on this today?

Mark Barnes

I've thought several times of creating a website that allowed users to do it, but I simply don't have the time to code it. As I envisioned it, users would type the author and title in, and it would compare this against a master list. If the book hasn't been added before, the user would be prompted for the publisher's name (and if necessary, email address). Both Logos and the publisher would then receive an email, and the book would be added to the list.

If the book is already on the list, a vote would be added, but the publisher/Logos wouldn't be repeatedly emailed, unless a book crosses a certain boundary (ten, or perhaps 50 votes). There would also be a chart, so users could see the most popular requests.

I planned it all out — but, as I said, I don't have the time to code it. If only there were 36 hours in a day.... And it would of course, be much better, if it was an official site.

fgh

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498592#Comment_498592

Both Logos and the publisher would then receive an email

Good luck! There are hundreds or thousands of publishers, and they all constantly merge, split, buy each other up, or transfer authors between them. You wouldn't know where to send half the e-mails.

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498602#Comment_498602

I would like to bring this up again, as I believe the lack of basic communication concerning what is going on with our suggestions is losing money for Logos. For instance:

People have asked multiple times about the Carta atlases, but as far as I know, there has been absolutely no word from Logos about whether or not they are even considering these resources. In one thread someone mentioned that the Carta products are available in another software. I did not realize that, and I don't own the other program, but I might consider buying from them since I have no reason to believe that Logos will ever sell those resources.

If I knew that Logos was considering/trying to get them, then I would gladly wait, but since Logos doesn't communicate that type of information, then I will have to make a decision. I prefer to have everything in Logos, but if I purchase those particular resources in the other program, then I would never spend the money again to get them in Logos. This happens to me quite often with Kindle books. I have to make up my mind, and once I buy a book for Kindle, if it is at all expensive, then I have spent all of the money I intend to for that book.

If I had any idea that Logos was working on a resource that I wanted, then I would always wait for it. I just never know!

Josh

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/533479#Comment_533479

[Y]

Lee

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/533487#Comment_533487

[Y] [Y] [Y]

Three thumbs up.

Doc B

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/498592#Comment_498592

I've thought several times of creating a website that allowed users to do it, but I simply don't have the time to code it.

Would it be possible to set up a category/page for something like this in an already-operating page like Goodreads (for example)?

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/533637#Comment_533637

Part of the issue is that we need it to be an official Logos deal so that we can actually know some information about the status of resources. Buyers need to know if Logos is considering a suggestion or not. That way they can make plans to wait or purchase elsewhere. Otherwise, customers are more likely to buy elsewhere.

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/533668#Comment_533668

I bring this up again as I go through my old suggestions, not having any idea whether or not they have been considered. We need some form of communication on suggestions. I have slowly started purchasing books from other companies because I can't ever know whether or not Logos has any plan to produce said book. The ESV Literary Study notes is an example. If I had any information that Logos was even attempting to get them, then I would have waited, but I had no way of knowing if Logos was working on it or not, so I went with Olive Tree, which I hate to do.

Bob Pritchett

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/559520#Comment_559520

We are considering all suggestions. There is no point in replying to each, because the answer is always "Yes." We want to license every book relevant to biblical studies, or of use to people engaging in biblical studies.

The problem is, the author or publisher has to agree.

And that's a negotiation, and negotiations are often delicate, time-consuming, and sometimes even a bit adversarial. (I want to pay a low royalty; the publisher would like a high royalty. The publisher may have a confusing rights issue where it's uncertain if the publisher or author has the digital rights. There may be a disagreement about what out-of-print means in an on-demand-printing world. Etc.)

So generally we just can't comment on a particular title in advance of getting the rights.

(And often times we have no idea -- we have talked to some publishers for years, and then we get rights all at once, when they make up their mind, or change staff members, or something else happens.)

And every book suggestion does not prompt an immediate call to the publisher; they all go into a tracking spreadsheet, and then we bring them up in batches, or at previously scheduled meetings. (For example, at the London Book Fair the week after this, where we'll be meeting several of our partners.)

I'm sorry -- I do want you to buy in Logos format, but I just can't predict or promise titles we haven't listed yet. We are aiming to add 10,000 titles per year, though, so everything is on our radar and wishlist.

-- Bob

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/580842#Comment_580842

I'm sorry -- I do want you to buy in Logos format, but I just can't predict or promise titles we haven't listed yet.

As usual, that totally makes sense.

We are aiming to add 10,000 titles per year, though, so everything is on our radar and wishlist.

I knew that was a goal for this year but I didn't realize that it was a goal for future years but it is great to hear.

Unix

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/580849#Comment_580849

The 2004 Good News Translation 3rd Edition UK-English. It's a 66-book Bible. It's popular in the UK. I do realize that Bibles are expensive to produce. Logos only has an older Edition and no Anglicized Edition of it.

Richard Bauckham (1999). James. New Testament Readings. Routledge. Has been suggested earlier on, also in the Anglican Faithlife group.

fgh

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/580842#Comment_580842

at the London Book Fair the week after this, (...) we'll be meeting several of our partners

Then please keep this thread in mind: More Oxford University Press.

And just a curious question if you have the time: how much have the new product managers helped with publisher contacts? Is it just that you never really got around to these publishers before, or has it turned out to be much easier to negotiate contracts when they see you have a new commitment and can talk with someone from their own tradition?

Joseph Turner

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/581055#Comment_581055

I sent Bob an email on Sunday morning asking about the subject matter of this thread and pointing him to it. I appreciate the prompt reply!