Grub Street Printing Newsletter #30, October 2011

Authors Guilds Sue

Authors Guilds in four countries and numerous individual authors have sued to stop Google, the University of Michigan, the U of California system, and Cornell (among others) from scanning and distributing books whose copyrights cannot be confirmed.

The suit claims that over 7 million titles with valid copyrights have been scanned, made available, and are digitally stored at U of Michigan, which remains “undaunted” and continues scanning its titles.

Borders' Bonuses

Borders Group has requested bonus payments for the management team that remained in place through its bankruptcy. Borders former employees have posted the dollar amounts proposed and filed a class action lawsuit for severance pay.

B&N Buys Info

Barnes & Noble has purchased the customer profiles from the bankrupt Borders Group and will be able to target emails to former Borders' customers based on their previous purchases.

Fire Sale

Amazon has challenged Apple's iPad with the Kindle Fire, a tablet running a modified Android O/S. In terms of features it appears to be no threat to the iPad, since its cloud based technology focuses on entertainment, not web surfing. Priced at $199 it may find a substantial audience.

Lost in the hoopla was news of the other updated Kindles that were introduced.

Bookflix?

Amazon has also introduced a media subscription service called Prime that will allow subscribers to download books, movies, etc, for $79 per year. Few publishers have endorsed the idea.

Kodak Woes

A decade ago Kodak was a major supplier to the print industry with film, plates, chemistry, equipment, etc. Now, coupled with the decline of snapshot film, the company has hired law firm Jones Day to oversee what it hopes is a turnaround, not a bankruptcy as it's stock shares slid into the $.70 range.

Reading Scores Tank

Our entire industry serves one purpose: to supply content for people to read. Look for that audience to continue contracting as SAT reading scores fell to their lowest level ever.

Crystal Covers

Harper Collins is contemplating a special edition of Dollhouse by the Kardashian sisters which would have Swarovski crystal studding the covers.

Domestic Printing

Argentina has over a million books sitting in customs houses, confiscated because they were imported. Argentina aims to rebuild its domestic print industry by banning printing outside its borders

Amazon eBook Solutions

After some readers complained about typos and errors in Neal Stephenson's Reamde eBook, Amazon arbitrarily replaced the contents on customer's Kindles via Wi-Fi...which removed all of the notes, bookmarks and highlighting the reader may have added. The accompanying note also advised that “missing content had been corrected”, but failed to note which content and where it was located.

The Future of Newspapers

An Editor-in-Chief of a major European paper discusses growing the digital commitment of newspapers profitably.

Comic Book Sales Drop

Comic book sales continue to decline, losing 4% revenue last year, but the publishers are fighting back with some dramatic changes.

Archie Comics has introduced an openly gay character who marries in issue #16 of the Life with Archie series. Also, proceeds from issue #625 (70^th anniversary issue) of Archie, which features a character fighting cancer, will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House.

Meanwhile, Superman and his DC Comic cohorts gets stylish makeovers to fight crime in the 21^st century.

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Grub Street Printing Newsletter #29 September, 2011

Time to Plan Your Banned Book Party

Banned Book Week will be celebrated Sept. 24 to Oct.1.I was surprised and shocked that so many books I consider classics are still being banned in our nation's schools and libraries, including Sherlock Holmes.

Renting eTextbooks

Since buying and selling textbooks is expensive for students, Amazon has begun a program to rent eTextbooks by the semester.

Boycott Amazon

While Amazon closes some warehouses and opens others in states that pledge not to tax internet sales, a group of not for profit organizations has called for a consumer boycott of the eRetailing giant.

eBook Agency Model Challenged

Charging that publishers that adopted the ebook agency pricing model conspired to unfairly set retail ebook pricing, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Apple and five other publishers.

Notting Hill Bookstore to Close

The travel bookstore made famous by Hugh Grant in the movie “Notting Hill” has announced it has been unsuccessful in finding a buyer and was scheduled to close in late August.

Papermill's Toxic Spill

Temple Inland's Bogalusa (LA) corrugated paper mill released an undisclosed amount of a paper making by-product called “black liquor” into the Pearl River killing hundreds of thousands fish, some of which were federally protected.

The paper industry has been making huge strides to become a “greener” industry, but self-policing wouldn't seem to be an option.

American Printer Folds

After publishing a highly respected trade magazine for the past 128 years, American Printer has published its final issue.

Want a Tablet? Subscribe

One of America's largest newspaper chains is looking into delivering your newspaper via a tablet

they're developing that runs the Android O/S.

Mega-Printers Not Impressing Wall Street, but...

North America's largest publicly owned printer, RR Donnelly, posted soft sales and lower than expected 2Q earnings and watched its valuation drop 11%. .

Quad Graphics, the second largest NA printer, traded it's Canadian assets (acquired when Quad bought bankrupt World Color/Quebecor) for the Mexican assets of rival printer Transcontinental. A month later it reported its earnings, and Wall Street pummeled Quad. It lost 50% of its valuation in just two months.

Mega-Book Retailers Do

Stock in Barnes & Noble was sharply higher after Q1 financials showed a slightly smaller loss than Q1 2010. Although traditional book sales declined, B&N's Nook eReader sales were strong.

Bartelby's Books Floods

Wilmington VT bookstore Bartelby's Books is standing but destroyed by the flooding caused by hurricane Irene. In April, Bartelby's sister store, Book Cellar, was destroyed by fire.

Top 100 International Paper Makers

While International Paper remains #1, about half of the companies listed are unknown to American printers and publishers.

Reusable, Erasable Paper

Sure, paper generally is reusable and erasable, but a Taiwanese company has announced paper that can be electronically erased and re-imaged 260 times.

1493 Book Located

An incomplete copy of the 500+ year old Nuremburg Chronicle has surfaced in the Salt Lake City area.

John Hodgman on Bookstores

John Hodgman discussed the problems traditional bookstores face on The Daily Show.

Final thought

The oldest books are still only just out to those who have not read them.     Samuel Butler ***************************************************************************

Past GrubStreetPrinting.com newsletters can be found at http://grubstreetnews.blogspot.com/

Grub Street Printing Newsletter #28, August, 2011

RIP Borders

The news media in Ann Arbor has been very somber in reporting the demise of the Borders Group, while local citizens compose odes to the fallen brand, and not just because of the 10,700 lost jobs (400 at the Ann Arbor headquarters). Those who lived in the area and shopped at the first Borders remember the simple pleasure of shopping in such an unusually large bookstore stocking so many titles, a very knowledgeable sales staff, and a convenient location in an old Ann Arbor storefront.

But that store closed years ago and has never really been replaced. The company that liquidated last month owned retail outlets for various media products, not bookstores.

They Printed it Where?

Rep. Kim Simac (R-WI) printed her self-published book American Soldier Proud and Free in China. Her campaign manager said she didn't know her printer, RR Donnelly, printed the book off-shore. Now her second book is out, Girls Play Hockey Too! and you guessed it, “Printed in China”.

A New Booksellers Landscape

The American Booksellers Association is offering tips to independent bookstore owners to help them capitalize on Borders store closings.

Book Stats 2008-2010

The AAP and the BISG have compiled the first annual study of the book industry. $395 will get you the PDF with a single user license.

Apple Enforces Rules

Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo have removed links to their stores from Apple iOS. The direct links to purchase ebooks cheated Apple out of its 30% commission. The Apple App Store has sold 15 billion downloads since opening three years ago.

etextbooks for South Korea by 2015

Schools in South Korea will abandon conventional textbooks in favor of etextbooks.

Conventional books, ebooks, and the Future

Frank Romano has taught, written and consulted printers and publishers for over 40 years and offers some perspective on the future of books.

Google to Digitize 250,000 Books

Google has reached an agreement with the British Library to digitize and make available through Google Books 250,000 books published between 1700 and 1870.

Worst Opening Sentence

The winner of the 2011 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest for the worst opening sentence for a novel is Sue Fondrie of Oshkosh, WI for this gem.

NYC Display Fonts

The best book cover designers work magic with display fonts. These photos of display fonts in NYC remind us that fonts can communicate as well as the words they form.

Harry Potter ebooks

God bless J.K. Rowling for selling 450 million conventional books of the seven volume Harry Potter series. Coming this October are the inevitable ebook and audiobook versions. Rowling will also debut the much anticipated web site Pottermore in October.

On The Road with Kerouac

Penguin Books Amplified Editions has released an “amplified” ebook of Jack Kerouac's On The Road which includes photos, maps, audio etc. relevant to this iconic story.

Traveling Letterpress Lady

While it's been decades since books were commonly printed on letterpresses, the simple beauty of work printed on one still inspires. Kyle Durrie is traveling the country offering spectators a hands-on letterpress operation experience. Check here for the towns and dates she will visit with her demonstrations.

Final Thought

There is a temperate zone in the mind, between luxurious indolence and exacting work; and it is to this region, just between laziness and labor, that summer reading belongs. Henry Ward Beecher

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Past newsletters are available at http://grubstreetnews.blogspot.com/

Grub Street Printing Newsletter #27, July 2011

Ebook Issue(s)

Ebooks, Enhanced Ebooks, and Apps

Is there a difference between ebooks and apps? Some argue that enhanced ebooks are apps. And, you can't sell an ebook, just the right to read it.

Which Titles Do Well as Ebooks?

Despite what most sales reports show, 75% of all ebook sales are technical and professional. But for books known as trade books, ebook bloggers and best seller lists indicate that fiction sells the most ebooks. Since ebook sales can't be tracked conventionally without acceptance of individual ISBNs, it's mostly guesswork.

The publishers that responded to my request for ebook experiences indicate all genres from cookbooks to yoga can work well digitally. Ebooks will often track a title's conventional book sales.

Ebook Readers

Just a few years ago your choice was your computer or a Kindle. There are over a dozen choices today and more are in use in Asia. New tablets, smart phones and now flexible screens are being tested. Consumers still need to understand some problems ereaders can pose, including incompatible formats.

As a publisher you won't need to offer books in all formats but as a consumer? Good luck, although some conversion tools are available.

Format Guidelines

Here are the first steps for publishing your book to Kindle (Amazon), Nook (B&N), or iPad (Apple). Or go to Smashwords and they'll help with all of your conversions and distribution.

How many ISBNs Are Enough?

Every edition in every format of your book needs a unique identifying ISBN whether you provide one or the distributor does. Amazon assigns an ASIN to your ebook even if you have an ISBN (if you have a 10 digit ISBN that will be your ASIN).

Without unique ebook ISBNs, sales figures and ebook bestseller lists can't be accurate.

Hit and miss Ebook Pricing

If there's definitive information about ebook pricing I can't find it. This and this admit that pricing is all over the board and not expected to stabilize soon and readers dislike the current inconsistencies. The big 6 publishers have adopted agency model pricing, but the overall market has not favored that system.

The conventional book pricing model won't work but it seems there's no model to replace it.

Size of the Ebook Market

Thus far, gauging the size of the market is done with smoke and mirrors. This points out that comparing ebook sales figures (direct to consumer) vs. conventional book sales (to retailers and wholesalers) is misleading.

January 2011 ebook sales were up 115% over previous January while the AAP reported a 200% increase in February sales of $90 million.

The European market is decidedly smaller (Euro at $.71 today) while the Japanese ebook market is dominated by comics.

Some ebook publishers report a small drop-off in sales after consistent monthly growth.

Market watchers see Amazon dropping from 90% of domestic ebook sales to less than 50% in the coming 4 years.

Follow Ebook Blog

Media Bistro (whose GalleyCat is my recommended daily book publishing newsletter) has a daily blog that follows all things ebook.

Back to Books

Your Text Stocks Eco-Footprint

There are many ways to judge a paper's ecological impact. This article has links to a number of ratings systems. And Domtar Paper now offers online environmental documentation of their stocks called The Paper Trail which details two of its more eco-friendly sheets.

Borders Sale?

Suddenly it appears Borders has found a buyer to sidestep liquidation.

Final thought

In the beginning was the Word. John 1:1

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Past GrubStreetPrinting.com newsletters available at http://grubstreetnews.blogspot.com/

Grub Street Printing Newsletter #26, June 2011

Alive and Kicking

Bowker reports that those awaiting the death of traditional books need to be a bit more patient. ISBN registrations for paper and ink books rose around 5%. A breakdown of the categories is here.

And...

The AAP reports overall book sales improved in March over March 2010 sales.

Barnes & Noble Sold?

John Malone, head of media empire Liberty Media, has made an offer to buy Barnes and Noble for $17 per share ($1 billion). Some feel the bidding is just starting.

Amazon Will Publish ebooks

Apparently Amazon feels that since it already owns the ebook market, it will expand into publishing ebooks to compete with the ebooks they already sell for other publishers.

Whither the Oprah Effect?

Now that Oprah's last live show has broadcast, what will her absence mean for book sales?

Borders Blog

Not the corporate crap...a blog by Borders employees. I always thought that Borders' clerks working the floor were “real” book people. The problem was their managers thought they were “product” managers. Books ain't products.

BEA Impressions

The publishers and printers I've spoken with who attended BEA 2011 have commented that interest in ebooks dominated their conversations. How, why, when, and how much were the questions being asked by publishers feeling the pinch of lost sales. A very basic guide to the mechanics of ebook publishing can be found here. Attendance (less exhibitors) was down slightly from last year.

Paper Plant Closes

Washington State's Grays Harbor Paper, manufacturer of recycled copy and printing paper,

has closed, eliminating 240 jobs. While the mill is over 100 years old, new ownership in 1993 began producing recycled grades, with up to 100% post consumer content.

Modern Paper Making

Modern paper mills are innovating to be more eco-friendly. Check out the inset at the end of this article about the Tamil Nadu mill in India.

Nook vs. iPad vs. Kindle

The ebook hardware race is on. Kindle is king with 65% of the market to iPad's 10%.

Industry Predictions

PIRA International has just released a forecast through 2020 covering the print, paper and packaging industries.

Playboy Archive Online

For a mere $60 per year, every page of every issue of Playboy magazine will be available as full issues or in a searchable database on your computer. Or try it for $8 a month and reread the Mailer, Kerouac and Vonnegut interviews that you kind of remember.

Nonna's Book of Mysteries

Mary Osborne's book Nonna's Book of Mysteries has been met with multiple awards for this first time author (Lake Street Press). A nomination for an IBPA Ben Franklin award, The Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book (Children's/Young Adult), is the latest accolade for this wonderful story.

Final thought

Begin every story in the middle. The reader doesn't care how it begins, he wants to get on with it. Louis L'Amour

Past GrubStreetPrinting.com newsletters available at http://grubstreetnews.blogspot.com/

Grub Street Printing Newsletter #25, May 2011

eBook Metrics

A new report from Simba Information claims that 75% of the U.S. eBook market belongs to professional and scholarly titles.

But according to this, there is no way to accurately gauge the size of the eBook market because no accurate data collection exists to report all eBook sales.

Hybrid Printing

From mounting an inkjet print head on a web offset press to preprinting offset shells for inkjet imprinting, printers are finding ways to get the best of multiple options by mixing digital and conventional printing.

Traditional Book Outlook

While it's clear that the digital revolution has transformed book publishers into content providers, the traditional book will share the market with electronic media but not disappear like glass negatives. Even techies concede that the book market will be a shared playing field.

Very Large Format Presses Coming Back

Years ago, Baker Johnson Inc.'s 54” Miller press was called a “dinosaur” when everyone moved to 40” equipment. Big is back, as KBA introduces an 81” offset color press running at 9000 sheets per hour. That translates to printing a 192 page 5 ½ x 8 ½ book on a single press pass (one sheet of paper).

Conde Nast Spear-Phished

A simple email to Conde Nast, seemingly from their printer, Quad Graphics, diverted over $8 million of payments to a new bank account established by the phishers. It was a very sophisticated scam that took weeks to discover but was uncovered before the scammers had withdrawn any of the money.

Eco – Electronics

While the paper industry must constantly defend its environmental impact and commits millions of dollars per year to improve its eco-footprint, the electronics industry continues to enjoy little or no scrutiny.

Copyright and Digital Rights Management

While many writers endorse giving your books away online, this is a discussion of rights management in the digital age.

Digital Eggs

In an effort to improve safer egg production through traceability, Domino Printing Sciences has developed inkjet technology to print unique identifiers on individual eggs.

Nook Color Identity Crisis

B&N has released an Android update for the Nook Color that blurs the line between eBook reader and tablet computer.

Third World Paper Mill

While American paper usage is shrinking, the third world embraces paper as an economical medium for information distribution. This is an enormous paper mill in Indonesia.

American Recycled Paper Mill

Fibermark Paper (Alsip, IL) makes 90,000 tons of recycled paper yearly in a plant that no one seemed to want.

Smells So Good

Karl Lagerfeld is preparing to introduce a perfume that smells like books. Bibliophile Lagerfeld claims a 300,000 book library

Final Thought

When I am dead, I hope it may be said:

“His sins were scarlet but his books were read.”

Hilaire Beloc (1870 – 1953)

Grub Street Printing Newletter #24, April 2011

Google Settlement not Settled

A District Judge in NY said the Google Settlement, finalized last year, is unfair, granting Google the right to print orphaned works not available to other publishers. Once again, Google has been asked to consider an “opt-in” option to replace its ubiquitous “opt-out” provision.

Airport Books

Some of our publishers sell their books at airports. Here's a quick guide to the reasons why it makes sense, although the first distributor they mention is probably not the best choice for this.

Agency Model Problems

Just as Random House finally adopted the “Agency Model” for ebook pricing, the European Commission has raided publishers offices for evidence that the model violates anti-cartel laws.

Recycled Paper Usage Increases

U.S. paper mills supplied 7% more recovered paper in 2010 than in 2009, a total of 31.3 million tons. Over 60% of all paper used in the U.S. is recovered for recycling.

Domestic printing and writing paper sales were off 6% in February; inventories climbed 2%

. Authors Experiment

Novelist Barry Eisler, author of the John Rain thrillers, has turned down a $500,000 contract in order to self-publish his next book while Amanda Hocking, who writes YA paranormal novels and sold 900,000 (mostly e)books last year has agreed to a traditional four book deal.

Domestic Ink for Dollars

A Danvers, MA ink maker claims the U.S. Bureau of Engraving won't test his ink for use on U.S. Currency despite the fact that it's more environmentally friendly than the ink from current supplier SIPCA, a Swiss corporat

Strange Days

Borders asked the bankruptcy court to approve $8.3 million in bonuses to its executives. Publisher Boycott

Author Brian Keene claims thousands of readers have joined him in boycotting Dorchester Publishing over payment issues.

Ebooks are Book Apps

Since ebooks are available at the iTunes app store, they are now called book apps or just apps.

Pricing Digital Books

Lost in the ebook hype is its unusual business model (see Agency Model above). Amazon can lose money on Kindle ebook titles (and on the Kindle itself) while others price by the guesstimate method.

ezines

Google has challenged Apple's revenue sharing model by offering magazine publishers 90% of the subscription price vs. Apple's current 70%. Google One Pass shares it's consumer information with publishers; Apple will share only if the consumer approves.

A Smart Kindle?

There's speculation that the introduction of the iPad 2 and Motorola Xoom is forcing Amazon to consider upgrading Kindle to be more than just a reader with Google's Android O/S.

Magazines vs iPad ezines

iPad owners seem to drift away from articles they're reading; good for advertisers but editors need to rethink how to adapt magazine articles to ezines.  
App Irony

This children's app (based on a 2004 book) chronicles a bookmobile librarian who gets lost and ends up at the zoo teaching animals to read.

Final Thought

...books enkindle and inflame our minds... by their own warmth and attractiveness...

Petrarch (1304-1374)

Grub Street Printing Newsletter #23, March 2011

What Went Wrong at Borders?

Including Borders' bungled web site and slow reaction to digital books, this insider lists six mistakes that led to its bankruptcy. One reason was the early (and sustained) commitment to music CDs both in inventory and floor space that channeled too much energy and resources away from books. And when the retail CD market cratered …

Borders Store Closings

Borders has asked the bankruptcy court for permission to close 200 stores. The stores combined to lose $2 million per week or over $100 million per year. Borders 2010 losses through late December were estimated at $168 million.

End of Physical Bookstores?

Every twitch in the retail book market spurs new conjecture about the death of physical books. The Borders' bankruptcy has started discussion about the possible death of brick and mortar bookstores.

Or, Will the Indies Return?

Another thought is that the bankruptcy might signal a decrease in the influence of the chain bookstores, heralding a renaissance of the independent booksellers.

Lerner Focuses on Content

While discussing the challenges of the marketplace, Adam Lerner, Publisher at Lerner Publishing Group, said that focusing on the hardware and software of the book industry instead of content can be a costly publisher mistake.

Protests of HarperCollins eBook Policy

Harper Collins has just announced a policy that would limit how many times a library could loan out a HarperCollins eBook to 26. You can read some of the protests here on Twitter.

B&N PubIt

Barnes & Noble introduced a production/ retail platform for self publishers last October called PubIt. Early reports indicate that the service has been widely accepted having made 65,000 titles available in less than six months, but sales figures haven't been released.

B&N/Amazon Feud

Amazon has been fighting sales tax issues in a number of states, including some that have Amazon warehouses in them. After threatening to close its Texas warehouse, B&N sent this letter to Amazon reminding them that it pays sales tax on every sales it transacts...and will be happy to work with Amazon affiliates.

Lacey Act News

The complexities of complying with and enforcing the Lacey Act are discussed from the manufacturing point of view.

Literary Games

If you're a fan of Samuel Beckett's surreal play Waiting for Godot, an equally surreal video game/tribute has been released. A similarly unique game version of The Great Gatsby is also available.

Tax Tips for Authors, Freelancers, etc.

It's that time. Here are some links to tax tips for creative independents in the publishing industry.

New Publisher Tools from WordPress

WordPress has made three new digital tools available for publishers to put their books online. An interesting presentation explains them.

Final thought

If I were blind, I would still take pleasure in holding a beautiful book. Sylvestre de Sacy

********************************************************Past GrubStreetPrinting.com newsletters available at http://grubstreetnews.blogspot.com/

Grub Street Printing Newsletter #21, January 2011

Borders Suspends Payments

Borders Group began 2011 by suspending payments to some publishers. Borders per store sales (200 stores have been closed) were off 12.6% in the third quarter.

China, Indonesia Dumping Paper

Both the International Trade Commission and the European Commission have ruled that coated free sheet manufactured in China and Indonesia was “dumped” in the US and European markets below its home market price and additional duties will be imposed on this paper.

Borders B&N Survival

While this article isn't remarkable to those who follow the book industry, I was shocked by the number of comments posted. It seems MSNBC readers have strong opinions about book retailing.

Quad Graphics

Quad Graphics' $1.1 billion purchase of World Color Press (formerly Quebecor World) out of bankruptcy last year has created many manufacturing inefficiencies. The world's largest privately owned printer has six plants with 2,400 employees that have been, or are being, closed.

Eco Friendly Paper: Beyond the Labels

Is using recycled paper always the best environmental choice? Are FSC papers always the most eco-friendly? These questions and more are discussed by an industry expert.

Gray Market Harvesting

31% of all data collected on the internet is obtained by companies who collect data from sites other than their own. In one study of fifty web sites, 167 different companies were actively gleaning customer information from them without the sites owner's knowledge or consent.

2011 Publishing Predictions

Another round of predictions to consider about an industry that must adapt to monthly, if not weekly, paradigm shifts. Is traditional book distribution (still?) on its last legs (again?).

2010 Printer's Wrap-Up

The big stories that affected the print industry in 2010 are right here. Some of the video links at the bottom of the page are pretty funny.

Great Books

On Oct. 5, 1789, President George Washington borrowed “Law of Nations” and a book of debates from the British House of Commons from the New York Society Library. There are over 221 years of late fees that have been forgiven, but the library just wants the books returned.

GPO and Google ebookstore

The US Government Printing Office has allowed Google ebookstore to distribute its backlist titles (which Google has already scanned anyway). Although the arrangement is beginning with only 100 titles, it's expected that thousands of titles will soon be available.

Web Sites Beget Books

While publication of a new title often spawns a new web site, two Chicago authors found the popularity of their sites brought offers from publishers to produce ink and paper books based on their web site content.

Hold Up on Those BEA Plans

According to these folks the world will end on May 21, 2011, two days before BEA opens.

Final Thought

I can't write without a reader. It's precisely like a kiss – you can't do it alone. John Cheever ********************************************************Past GrubStreetPrinting.com newsletters available at http://grubstreetnews.blogspot.com/

GrubStreetPrinting Newsletter #20 December 2010

It Depends What You Mean by “Recycled”

While the Federal Trade Commission and Environmental Protection Agency work toward an American definition of “recycled paper” the international community already uses a different ISO standard.

If your paper is imported, will it still meet the legal definition of recycled?

Print, Electronic Media and the Price of Paper

This is an extremely insightful interview covering the immediate challenges and the future of the print industry, the impact of new technologies and the need for less expensive paper.

Meet Mooks

A hot topic in Newsletter 13 was “vooks”, a combination of videos and books. Now get ready for “mooks” a combination of magazines and books that seems to be catching on in Japan.

The KVML

If you missed the sneak peak of the soon to open Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library in Indianapolis, IN, fear not: the Grand Opening is just weeks away.

Digital Inks

The “inks” used by digital output devices are broadly divided as inkjet and toner. As development continues to improve the “inks” and the presses they run on, the notion that one is better than the other in any given application is changing with new press technology.

RAN Ratings

The Rainforest Action Network has published a guide of publishers that don't use paper stocks produced from pulp from rain forest trees, especially Indonesia.(See Newsletter #7)

2010 Word of the Year

The editors of The New Oxford American Dictionary has named Sarah Palin's “refudiate” as the Word of the Year.

The Bad Sex in Fiction Award...

..goes to Rowan Somerville for the unusual imagery used in his book The Shape of Her.

Sales Correction 12 Months Later

Newsletter 14 reported a 12.3% spike in September 2009 book sales. This September book sales fell 12.1% according to the AAP.

Literacy Campaigns

Scribd and Scholastic have announced new literacy campaigns. With a high literacy rate of 19%, the US trails countries like Greenland, where 100% of the population is rated as highly literate.

Before Digital, Before Offset

Over 400 years after Johannes Gutenburg invented movable type for printing presses, Ottmar Merganthaler invented a machine that let printers set type while sitting at a keyboard instead of picking letters out of a type tray. Thomas Edison called it the Eighth Wonder of the World.

An upcoming documentary hopes to show how society was changed by this invention. Here's a promo of the film.

More Print Technology

In contrast to the Linotype (which set a “line of type”) the Espresso 2.0 doesn't make coffee and looks downright fragile compared to Merganthaler's invention.

Final Thought

Books are hindrances to persisting stupidity. Spanish Proverb

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Past GrubStreetPrinting.com newsletters available at http://grubstreetnews.blogspot.com/