The economic context of book publishing

A healthy publishing industry flourishes in a healthy economy. This article (written June 1990) provides a brief forecast for the U.S. economy and overall consumer spending. The authors combine economic and demographic forecasts to predict trends in book sales. Jim Haughey is Vice President, Research and Economics, at Cahners Publishing Company, which publishesPublishers Weekly, Library Journal, and seventy other business and consumer magazines and newspapers. Deborah Selsky is the economist for the printing and publishing group at Cahners Economics. She regularly writes on economics forLibrary Journal and is the editor ofPublishing Markets, a newsletter.     

Crossing culture in children’s book publishing

Conclusion Children’s books are cultural products that face unique challenges when crossing cultural boundaries. Among these challenges are the translation into a new language, the cost of the translation both in terms of money and content, and the culture of the destination market. The main consumers of translations of children's books are currently developed countries such as France, Germany, and Italy. Less developed countries such as China and Korea, though, are experiencing a growth in their children's book markets. Although international boundaries are becoming less defined in today's market place and although there is an emphasis on multiculturalism within the United States, more children's books are licensed for translation in foreign markets than in the domestic American market. American publishers need to feel more secure in their ability to publish translations of children's books profitably. Only then will American children be able to have this important tool to help prepare them for a growing international environment.     

The trade book publishing industry in South Korea

Publishing Research Quarterly -     

Understanding end‐users in academic book publishing

This article reviews ways that commissioning editors in academic book publishing can better understand the end‐users of their products. It discusses available market resources, reports, and market research undertaken by other publishing companies and consultants, before going on to look at some of the existing internal sources that commissioning editors can draw on. It considers both qualitative and quantitative ways of testing and developing a commissioning editor's understanding of end‐users to improve market reach and customer satisfaction. The article concludes with a case study illustrating how one publisher used research on end‐users to improve its products and be more successful in the market.     

Children’s book publishing on the ascent

Children’s book publishing has grown dramatically over the past ten years. John Donovan reviews trends in children's book publishing and bookselling, focussing on retail sales. Although he sees cause for satisfaction and optimism, he warns against complacency. He has written several books for young readers.     

来自收藏界的珍稀革命史料——程宸编著《毛泽东自传珍稀书影图录》出版发行

在伟大的无产阶级革命家毛泽东同志诞辰116周年之际,由程宸先生编著的《毛泽东自传珍稀书影图录》一书,经中央文献研究室、国家新闻出版总署、国家文化部审核,已由国家图书馆出版社出版,并于2009年12月26日在新华书店发行与各界读者见面。     

Mickey Mouse and Milton: book publishing in the humanities

We report the results of a survey of tenure and promotion criteria in university departments of literature and language in the US. It is clear that the publication of a scholarly monograph remains a conditio sine qua non for the awarding of tenure. We analyze the language of institutional guidelines and standards: these range from the highly concrete to the intentionally vague.     

An academic book: Statistics and reality

This paper reports the findings of a study on the positioning of an academic book in the information market. The contribution and significance of academic books to the spheres of science and education has been noted. The quantitative characteristics illustrate the relative stagnation of an academic book publishing based on the data obtained from the Russian Book Chamber. Expert-based evaluations from the leading research and academic libraries indicate that the official statistics are somewhat overstated and the quality of academic books has declined.     

Scholarly book publishing practice: the ALPSP survey findings

In summer 2009 ALPSP undertook the first industry‐wide survey into scholarly book publishing practice. This article covers the key findings and attempts to describe the current scholarly book and e‐book publishing landscape. Publishers' development of e‐books varies considerably from early experimentation to being a standard component of their publishing programme. However, publishers of all shapes and sizes have developed some common policies and practices despite the rapid evolution of an emerging element of scholarly publishing. E‐books currently make up a small, if growing, proportion of total book sales, although they are currently one of the most talked about developments in the entire publishing industry.     

略说图书发行对馆藏质量的影响

出版发行的变化会给自身带来经济的效益,同时也对图书馆的馆藏质量带来影响,本文从采访人员的角度介绍了图书发行影响馆藏质量的几个方面.     

Changes in the role of the commissioning editor in academic book publishing

This article reviews research on the role of the commissioning editor in academic book publishing. It argues that there has been a historic shift from a primarily ‘gatekeeper’ role to a more proactive role in shaping what authors write, driven by the requirements of business strategy, the need to focus more closely on end‐user needs, and, increasingly, by the new challenges of commissioning within a digital environment.