This morning I received a link to Sourcebooks' online catalogs for Fall 2008.  This is huge, people.  Publishers spend beaucoup bucks designing, printing and distributing catalogs of their upcoming book offerings to buyers, librarians, booksellers, agents, authors and other publishing professionals.  Big dollars.  But Sourcebooks, ever the pioneer, is the first I know of who has decided to save money AND the environment by making their catalogs paperless.  HOORAY!  I for one am tired of the paper clutter of all those huge tomes.  Yes, I need the information.  No, I do not appreciate the format.  I cringe every season when I have to dump all those hefty catalogs into the recycling bin.

At the upcoming RWA conference, convention management asked the attendees well in advance if they'd be willing to download the speaker handouts instead of picking up hardcopies at each workshop.  Those savvy, eco-conscious romance writers said, "you betcha."  Since this is a member-funded organization, the members realized that the less spent on printing handouts, the more available for promotion and other more valuable services.  Way to go!

Believe me, the rest of the industry is going to be watching these projects for either praise or condemnation.  I say, let's go there.  There's plenty of room at the table for paper books, catalogs and handouts as well as their ebook, .pdf and podcast siblings.