Social publishing continues to come of age as Scribd, a pioneer in sharing and publishing textbooks, sheet music and research reports, announced the opening of its commercialized internet store.

What once was free to Scribd users will now come at a cost.  However, most fees are minimal and a portion of all sales will benefit the text creators and contributors.  Aspiring authors and educators may find that in addition to earning more, they may no longer have to rely on publishing firms to bring their work into the public eye. 

Perhaps in these tough economic times, the education community may figure out a way to utilize social publishers such as Scribd to economically support education.  Recently, top notch traditional publishers such as Random House and Simon & Schuster signed content deals with Scribd. 

Social publishers certainly offer flexibility and look like they’re here for the long haul.  The ability to combine their offerings with today’s technology, such as Amazon’s Kindle and PCs’, creates endless opportunity.

Any experience with social publishing?  Share your thoughts.

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