Examination of the Transitioning of the Book from Print to Digital: Inspiration, Possibilities & Application

My principal research question is: what future/s might there be for the book as it shifts away from paper volumes and into an ebook protocol, as regards marginal epistemologies, inclusivity, multiple authors, interdisciplinarity and alternative narratives? My research takes the form of both a thesis and a research-creation EPUB3 ebook. I chose the subject of bees as the content of the book. This subject offered me both an alternative narrative and a way to showcase the capabilities of the EPUB. Working with disciplines of Design, Film and Computer Science, I traced a trajectory through the history of the printed book to the present day finding a natural place for the self-published ebook. The thesis speculates on the genesis of the ebook as a recuperative medium in the evolution of the knowledge commons. It navigates a path toward progressive accessibility standards coexisting with a visual design paradigm.