Natalie Hope McDonald

For binding, it's not enough to be fast; it also has to be strong. That's why Muller Martini (www.mullermartini.com) teamed-up with digital printing provider Océ Printing Systems (www.oceusa.com). For the first time this year, Muller's AmigoDigital perfect-binding system linked to an Océ DemandStream 8090CX digital printing system with Hunkeler paper handling equipment. The result: A workflow that will produce commercial-quality paperback books in a single pass. "We maintain that quality quotient by incorporating into the AmigoDigital the same perfect binding techniques we use in our high-volume equipment," says Andrew J. Fetherman, manager of Muller Martini's Digital Finishing Division. Based on Muller Martini's

Frank Romano isn't shy. In fact, Rochester Institute of Technology's chairman of the School of Printing has never been hesitant about putting speeches where his beliefs are. And at BookTech's 2002 conference and expo, he was true to form. During the show's keynote address, Romano argued the provocative case between Random House and RosettaBooks, first as a signal that digital content is becoming increasingly popular, and second, as a way to compare print with e-media. "What's the difference between an e-book and an e-magazine?" Romano asked. "They're both packaged information delivered in some form to you. A Web site is

Some make a splash. Others won't tear. For swimmers who need to read workout guides in the pool or publishers wishing to avoid damage from freight distribution, durable papers are unique alternatives to traditional stock. Added to the staple of synthetic and super-substrates on the market, some publishers have even invested in water-proof materials to ensure that the books they produce survive in less traditional reading environments. The waterproof materials, though rare compared to a non-synthetic such as TruTech, are examples of how diverse book market concepts can be applied to multiple projects. As a result, future readers, who may be chin-deep in the

With his slight build, round rims and British accent, Harry Potter, the international star of the children's literati, has already inspired comparisons to beloved book characters including The Little Prince and Mathilda. Magical and quirky, the Potter series is reputed to be among the bestselling publishing cross-over hits ever with 55 million prints and counting in circulation in the U.S. alone. But what sets Potter apart from the pack is not so much the creativity of J.K. Rowling, but rather, the bite that the traditional print book series takes out of the multi-media world: toys, gadgets and a Hollywood movie replete with special effects

In looking back on 2001, the state of the pulp and paper market can be best described as volatile. And as the strains of "Auld Lang Syne" fade away, the outlook does not appear to be any more stable for the coming year. In fact, due to the dipping economic outlook that many pundits predicted months ago, paper buying has taken on a renewed set of competitive objectives starting foremost (and not surprisingly) with affordability. Since slower publishing demands contributed to a waning paper market throughout 2001, according to the Labor Department's International Price Program, buying habits have been greatly affected. Coupled with international

Television, magazines, movies and mass-marketed advertising have always contributed to—and reflected—the style of an era. In the 1950s, children's books, for instance, often boasted whimsical line drawings designed to mimic toys of the time. This season's texts are not immune to widespread pop cultural influence. In an age when Internet use has dominated the communications scene, highly competitive, attention-getting production methods are currently shaping the book design industry. In many cases, art and literature are no longer relegated to one-dimensional surfaces, but rather, die-cuts, inserts and special folding processes create multi-dimensional books, allowing readers to interact more with the end product.

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