The Influence of technology and social circumstances on editorial work in Slovenia analyses a microsegment in the publishing process, i.e. editorial work, placing it in the context of publishing in current digital culture. Through the example of educational publishing in Slovenia, it presents how editorial work is determined by specific characteristics of the publishing field and how technology changes the materiality of books and consequently the nature of editorial work. Changed materiality of the book not only changes the editorial work, but also transforms the way we read and the nature of attention, which impacts publishing as a whole and implies modifications in the development of human thought. To specify the features of educational publishing in comparison to general publishing, as well as changes caused by modern technologies, Darnton's model of communications circuit of the book was used. Through modifying the process of publishing books or textbooks and encouraging the development of digital learning materials, digitalization transforms and prolongs the editorial cycle and changes the organizational culture of educational publishing. When the development of Slovene educational publishing is presented in a historical perspective, the dependence of publishing on Slovene educational policy is revealed, giving proofs that its autonomy is fragile, thus limiting long-term development of educational publishing, and systematic and specialized development of editorial competences. This reduces possibilities for Slovene educational publishing to actively participate in developing quality education in Slovenia, which is particularly important at the time of digitalization, when reading practices are changing and book is disappearing in modern material culture. A textbook namely means an introduction to the culture of book, therefore changes within educational publishing and editorial work process have a broader impact, because they establish a relationship to book as part of material culture and form reading practices that define us as thinking individuals.
|