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NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J.--May 24, 2005--Bowker, the leading provider of bibliographic information in North America, today released statistics on U.S. book publishing compiled from its Books In Print database. Based on preliminary figures, Bowker is projecting that U.S. title output in 2004 increased by 14 percent to 195,000 new titles and editions, reaching another all-time high. The catalyst for growth in 2004 was adult fiction, which reversed a three-year plateau and increased a staggering 43.1 percent, to 25,184 new titles and editions, the highest total ever recorded for that category. Adult fiction now accounts for 14 percent of all titles published in the United

Book publishers are keeping their fingers crossed that 2005 will be the year the industry shakes off the period of stagnation that has coincided with the U.S. economic downturn. The domestic market continued to remain essentially flat in 2004, but industry insiders are hopeful that the market will soon show growth. The shift toward more flexible production schedules, and resurgence in educational and reference titles will likely be the engines that drive any industry upswing. Another trend in 2005 will be publishers aiming to enhance profitability by leveraging the cost benefits of digital printing and international sourcing. Setting the Stage for Growth

The International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4) named its advisory board and board members at its annual meeting held at the Graph Expo and Converting Show, in Chicago. The members of the board are charged with extending JDF to cover broader areas of interoperability, and provide improved education and communication for printers, prepress services and other users of JDF-enabled process automation solutions. The new appointees are Martin Bailey, Global Graphics Software; Tim Daisy, Networked Graphic Production Partners; Stephan Jaeggi, PrePress Consulting; Pat McGrew, Pitney Bowes; Matthew Outram, Fujifilm Electronic Imaging; John Sweeney, Integrated Color Solutions Inc.; Jacques

Life was good for The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. The company had grown to become one of the largest independent publishers and distributors in North America. It employed hundreds of people in seven locations. And, it had printed more than 20,000 new books in its 29 years. But, life was about to get even better—as the company tapped a new, multimillion-dollar revenue stream. THE RELATIONSHIP BUSINESS James E. Lyons, Rowman & Littlefield president and publisher, had shared a concern of many modern-day publishers: excess inventory. The company typically ordered offset print runs that would last two years, but, occasionally, more books were printed

In an age of on-demand cable, print-on-demand and instant messaging, it's no wonder publishers say the most important aspect of computer-to-plate technology is faster turnaround times. Over its 10-year life span, CtP technology has brought the industry as close to on-demand turnaround times as possible, shortening production time and streamlining the manufacturing process. It means publishers can drop pages in their printers' laps knowing they'll be turned around quicker than Barry Bonds swinging at an 0-2 fastball. Time-sensitive subjects are now brought to market faster. What Martha Stewart knew or didn't know about the stock price of Imclone, or what President Bush knew

The paper selection process for books printed digitally differs radically from that of books destined for offset. What designers and production managers should know. Choosing the right paper for a book printed digitally can make or break such on-demand publishing projects. Digital paper has unique reflective, color, sensory, and operational characteristics compared to paper destined for, offset or other printing technologies. For example, digital paper has increased moisture, is smoother, and more dimensionally stable. The more precisely the edges are cut, the more efficiently the paper moves through the press. Digital papers are smoother than offset papers for good toner

Scientists compete to make certain their company's papers don't stick, curl, jam, or smear. But even the finest papers can send a print job amok if environmental conditions are ignored. We take paper sheets for granted, never giving a second thought to the ream of paper we load into the short run digital press, laser printer, or copying machine. But the company that sold the paper is probably obsessed with every scientific detail there is to know. That, in a nutshell, explains why digital press and related vendors are going to great lengths to develop, manufacture, and sell paper that doesn't foul

Digital prepress, the conversion of electronic information about text and graphics into output-ready form, is a crucial aspect of book manufacturing. But it takes more than looking good on a computer screen for titles to translate from bytes to ink on paper. When things go well, prepress production reflects modern technology at its best. But incorrectly prepared electronic files wreak production havoc, and are the top cause of production delays, surcharges, and missed delivery dates. Here are the most common causes of prepress problems, as nominated by a team of technical experts at R.R. Donnelley, in New York. If your organization hasn't been tripped

Book editors, publicists, and marketers sent a collective "thank you" to media queen Oprah Winfrey, when the Association of American Publishers presented her with its AAP Honors award. The reason for the award: Oprah's Book Club, a wildly popular segment of The Oprah Winfrey Show. The segment routinely turned titles into bestsellers. But while publishers love the show's impact on revenues, dealing with massive, often unexpected surges in demand can vex even the most efficient supply chain. The format of Oprah's Book Club was simple and effective. Winfrey chose a novel, then broadcast a reader discussion and author interview. The first book featured: The

The world's largest children's book publisher has decided to slice the fat out of its computer systems. Leading the charge is Reg Maton, who signed on as senior VP and CIO of Scholastic Inc. in December. Topping Maton's agenda: a complete evaluation of Scholastic's information systems, to look for overlaps. Redundant systems will be eliminated, allowing Scholastic to trim expenses and boost productivity. "They're looking to use technology to enable the business to reduce costs, [and to] consolidate certain processes, where you get productivity improvement by going to common processes," Maton says. "There's opportunity to eliminate redundancy, to consolidate, to rationalize where we