Lightning Source Inc.

Ask a sampling of your book industry peers, and you will find that most publishing careers do not begin with an engineering degree.

Digital book printing overall is experiencing double-digital growth. The recession, although unwelcome in all quarters, has provided a boost to digital book manufacturing as publishers take a harder look at their processes and cut back on inventory and waste. Since digital printing market- and technology-research firm INTERQUEST's last major survey of the market, conducted in late 2007, the industry has seen widening adoption of digital book printing for short-run inventory management, and a growing interest in distribute-and-print to defray shipping costs and cut time to market—as shown in INTERQUEST's recent report, "Digital Book Printing: Market Analysis & Forecast (2010-2015)." A new generation of high-speed inkjet presses is also coming onto the market, promising lower cost, faster production speeds and higher print quality—all of which open the door a bit wider to digital book printing.

Self-publishing and online services, e-books, and digital demand printing are joined into a new and powerful sector that is transforming the industry. For industry professionals whose career satisfactions and livelihoods are bonded to the future of the book, this new sector offers a wild ride and a venturesome future.

INTERQUEST, a leading market and technology research and consulting firm serving the digital printing and publishing industry, today announced a 30 percent increase in attendance at its 2010 digital book event held each year for the past five years at the Publishing Business Expo in New York City.

At one time, many book publishers printed their own books. Then they discovered that the cost of maintaining a printing enterprise was less cost-effective than buying book printing and binding from commercial printers. Over the decades, they dabbled in (photo) typesetting and desktop publishing, and enlisted legions of part-time workers. At some moment in time, most books in production in New York City are on the subway, as industry freelancers carry manuscripts and artwork back and forth.

"The Future of the Book: How to Stay in the Game," a webinar presented by Book Business and sponsored by HP, will be presented Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. EST. Moderated by Barb Pellow, group director, InfoTrends, the webinar will discuss the changes sweeping the book publishing industry, and what publishers and printers need to do to participate in this dynamic and evolving media world.

The Publishing Business Virtual Conference & Expo officially opened its "virtual" doors with more than 900 book publishing executives in attendance on Thurs., Oct. 29 for Digital Content Day @ Your Desk

Book Business magazine announces that special guest Jane Friedman, CEO, OpenRoad Integrated Media LLC and former CEO, HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide

Hachette Livre of France has partnered with Lightning Source Inc. to offer print-on-demand (POD) services to the French book market. This new POD operation will be located at Hachette Livre’s distribution facility in Maurepas, near Paris, and is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2010.

Hachette Livre of France, the world’s second-largest publisher of trade books, and Lightning Source Inc., an Ingram Content Group company, have entered into a joint venture to offer print-on-demand (POD) services to the French book market.