Digital book printing, be it in the form of short-run or print-on-demand (POD), has unquestionably transformed the book business. While no longer in its infancy, digital printing and its economic benefits still remain a mystery to many publishers. Industry trade groups like the Book Industry Study Group (BISG), with its mission statement of “working to create a more informed, empowered and efficient book industry,” are pushing to further publishers’ understanding of the technology and its strengths and limitations. BISG’s forthcoming “Print On Demand for Dummies” book, created in collaboration with John Wiley & Sons and set to debut this summer, aims to help demystify the business of POD with a number of industry case studies. Wiley continues to stand out as a pioneer in the digital printing space, having printed more than half a million units digitally in fiscal year 2008. The company now has transferred more than 10,000 titles to its POD model, optimizing warehouse utilization and cutting costs, all while keeping books in print that otherwise would have ceased printing.
- People:
- Gilles Biscos
Matt Steinmetz is the publisher and brand director of Publishing Executive.