Bookshelf PH Launches Public Domain as a Service in Country – Manila Bulletin

Online marketplace and store publisher Bookshelf PH has released 17 Individual Non-Fungible (NFT) tokens, each representing a chapter from their recent bestseller The E-Hustle: What The Nation’s Top Digital Leaders Can Teach You About launching and growing your online business.

These NFTs will be auctioned off on OpenSea, the largest NFT marketplace in the world and which has garnered a lot of attention due to users trading in volume and often high value for its digital art, collectibles and more. ‘other objects.

This move by the publisher of books, e-books and audiobooks aims to challenge the idea that while the public domain is extremely beneficial for great historical works, it has generally not been associated with the modern writing.

When the copyright for a creative work expires (the life of the author plus 50 years in the Philippines), it will be considered part of the public domain. Once in the public domain, people can freely use and consume the work, which is beneficial as many of them are historically, culturally or artistically important.

Some important works in the Philippines in the public domain include the writings of José Rizal, including El Filibusterismo and Noli Me Tángere, and the epic poems Florante and Laura and Ibong Adarna by Francisco Balagtas and José de la Cruz respectively.

This is unfortunate, because recently published books can provide readers with insight and information on current events, major trends, and relevant skills, but will not be accessible for a very long time. This knowledge is kept in a sort of walled garden, accessible only to Filipinos with the income available to buy books.

NFTs for The E-Hustle will also involve digital art – a holographic adaptation of the original chapter cover, which will be owned exclusively by the buyer – as well as a utility: once a person or group purchases a chapter In particular, Bookshelf PH will publish making it in the public domain, making it available free of charge for all Filipinos to read.

This new model, which Bookshelf PH likes to call public domain as a service (PDaaS), aims to achieve the dual purpose of democratizing access to content important to Filipinos, while providing authors, publishers and other content creators with a incentive to continue doing so.

“What sets e-commerce apart from traditional brick-and-mortar businesses are the lower barriers to entry. It’s a lot easier for people to jump in and get started. Releasing E-Hustle into the public domain via an NFT can exponentially help more Filipinos make that leap and then quickly accelerate their growth, ”according to Ada Ortega, editor-in-chief of E-Hustle, who attributed the impact to the caliber of the interviewees, a full list of which is provided below. She also thinks The E-Hustle was particularly suitable for release as an NFT with a public domain as a utility.

In addition to empowering digital entrepreneurship and social mobility in the Philippines, people who purchase NFT E-Hustle will also enjoy other benefits. Each Buyer will be credited as the Chapter’s Main Sponsor before it is released into the public domain, ensuring that the individual or support group gets publicity as an e-commerce facilitator in the Philippines.

Bookshelf PH will support sponsors presenting a one-year marketing and PR campaign (November 2021 to November 2022) as part of e-commerce for all, as part of an offer to get the book in their hands a million Filipinos. This focus will focus on groups that are under-represented or new to e-commerce, such as students, women and people with disabilities.

While anyone can buy an NFT for The E-Hustle, Kyle Nate, Associate Editorial Director of Bookshelf PH, believes it would be best suited for forward-thinking and inventive local brands. These organizations could present their brand as a champion of inclusive innovation, both promoting e-commerce through The E-Hustle as well as the public domain through the new PDaaS model.

Overall, Nate hopes this will spark more interest and conversation around NFTs and social good.

“We are developing a specific utility to bring original and relevant works into the public domain, long before their copyright has naturally expired. We hope this will inspire other individuals and organizations in the Philippines to seek ways in which TVNs can support social good, ”Nate said.