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Book Printing in the U.S. Market: An Update

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by Nicole Tomassi, Marketing & Conference Manager

book printing machineOn Tuesday, March 2, the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) hosted the webinar, “Book Printing in the U.S. Market: An Update. BISG Executive Director Brian O’Leary moderated the session, which shared updates from the Book Manufacturing Institute’s (BMI) Executive Director, Matt Baehr, and Versa Press Executive Sales Director, Matthew Kennell.

Matt Baehr noted several ways that businesses were impacted in 2020 by the pandemic, from extended lead times in getting both raw and finished materials from overseas, the higher costs and delays associated with sourcing these products, to increased run lengths for certain product lines, particularly cookbooks, and content that focused on politics and social justice issues.

As a result, capacity issues were a dominant factor throughout last year and this has persisted into 2021. This has led to increased interest for publishers seeking to shift more of their printing needs onshore, however, that presents other issues due to the consolidation in that space during the last several years. As discussed in our Publishing Now webinar last summer, print on demand is a solution that can help address this challenge, and Matt noted in his presentation that the quality is steadily improving in comparison to offset. He shared that publishers are utilizing print on demand for backlist titles in their catalog, reducing the need to maintain significant physical inventory. To supplement the increased interest in POD, some book manufacturers are expanding into “POD lite” services, offering a blended product with a digital component to augment the physical print run.

Another area of concern are the challenges that manufacturers are experiencing with maintaining full employment to meet higher demand.  The workforce in this sector tends to be older, where the concerns of the pandemic have a more pronounced effect. Many of these facilities are located in more rural areas of the country, making it difficult to draw in younger workers who tend to live in more populated regions. Through their affiliation with the National Association of Manufacturers and other industry associations, BMI is looking to generate higher awareness and interest for careers in manufacturing during 2021.

Matthew Kennell, confirmed that Verhttps://bisg.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1465835&group=sa Press has experienced several of the trends referenced by Matt Baehr, including lead times that have grown to about six weeks for a paperback run compared to the more typical lead time of 3 to 4 weeks. At the beginning of 2020, Versa was already in the process of ordering printing equipment for planned expansions. Some of these presses will arrive at the facility and come online during the summer of 2021. According to Matthew, the fourth-generation family-owned and operated business takes a long-term approach with its growth strategy. They diversify by serving publishers who are in various market segments, and Versa Press’ overall outlook for the next few years is positive due to the longstanding relationships they have cultivated with many of their clients.

Though challenges remain in various parts of the supply chain, there’s plenty of reason for optimism in the publishing industry as we move forward through 2021. BISG offers periodic webinars that address various aspects of the industry, along with committees that employees of member companies can participate in. Visit the BISG website to learn more about upcoming programming, view previous content or become a member.

Sign up here for BISG’s next webinar on Tuesday, March 16 – The Paper Market for Books: An Update.

Tyler Carey quoteTyler M. Carey, Westchester’s Chief Revenue Officer, has worked with our sales and marketing teams that have led our growth since becoming an employee-owned company in 2014.

Recently, Tyler sat down for a conversation with Chris Smith, Founder of Empellor CRM, and host of the Sales Lead Dog podcast. During their discussion, Tyler shared several insights that highlight the consultative approach Westchester takes with its partners to help them identify the right solutions to resolve their challenges from the suite of services offered by Westchester’s global operations teams.

You can watch the episode below, or stream it on your favorite podcast platform.

by Tyler M. Carey, Chief Revenue Officer

typography alphabetPublishing friends, I’m very fortunate to be one of the (growing number of) American members of The Stationers’ Company. The Company acts as the livery guild for the publishing, media, and journalism industries in the City of London, but has had a global reach for many years. The industry knowledge and networking opportunities for those of us in these industries are beyond valuable. If you’re curious about the Company – or just really into fonts – the below event about typography and branding may be for you. This free event is open to all – feel free to sign up below.

As one of London’s longest operating guilds, with a history predating Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press, The Stationers Company has continuously represented the individuals and companies involved in the printing and selling of books in the city of London for more than 600 years, with their mandate encompassing print and digital media, journalism, and more. Despite being a Livery Guild of the City of London, their membership and networking opportunities are not localized just to London, and have expanded to include members of the publishing community who are based around the world. In our current time with travel severely curtailed, the Stationers Company has worked hard to maintain networking connections with their membership and the industry through virtual events and informational sessions.

With such a longstanding history in supporting the printed word, there is probably no organization better suited than The Stationers Company to host the webinar: Typography and Branding. Typography blends art and science, and is an integral component in how companies build and convey the values of their brand to the world. As technology continues to evolve, so too will typefaces, bringing new challenges and opportunities for designers and the companies they design brand materials for.

Speakers Luisa Baeta, David Livingston, and Stationers Company Freeman Richard Chapman, who are all designers, will have a discussion on Thursday, 28 January 2021 about modern typography and its relationship with branding, wayfinding, and type on the web.

You can get more information about the webinar and register for this free session by clicking this link. Information about other upcoming Stationers Company events can be found here.

As 2020 comes to a close, and we all look forward to the news of a pandemic vaccine with hope and relief, the team at Westchester Publishing Services is grateful for the health and spirit of our staff and customers.

Though few of us could have foreseen how publishing would be transformed, almost none would be surprised at the resiliency the industry showed by adapting, sharing best practices, and identifying solutions to meet the needs of our customers.

As many trade shows and conferences were cancelled or went virtual, Westchester understood the importance of staying connected with the publishing community, at least digitally. Below, we look back on 2020 to see how Westchester and our customers adapted to all the changes this year brought.

In early March, Westchester made the decision to transition the majority of our employees to a Work from Home model. On March 19, we hosted a session with panelists from various areas of publishing to share how their companies and staff were adjusting, and providing actionable ideas to help the transition process go more smoothly. Additionally, we cultivated this resources page for our new reality.

In July, we teamed up with Publishers Weekly to present a panel discussion about the state of the industry, along with the challenges and opportunities for companies in the publishing supply chain to consider during the crucial second half of the year. In addition to the webinar, PW produced a summary article, and we made multiple resources from the webinar available to access on our website.

In September, Tyler M. Carey, Westchester’s Chief Revenue Officer, participated in a BISG panel discussion led by Brian O’Leary about how publishers can identify inefficiencies in publishing workflows and solutions they can implement to improve effectiveness (requires free registration).

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Westchester released several case studies this year, sharing the solutions we provide for publishers to streamline their workflow and perform tasks that they may not have previously considered engaging a services firm to handle. You can download the convenient checklist shown here to help you identify ways we are able to improve your workflow.
We were also featured in the Publishers Weekly Digital in India issue about how our expanded production capacity and robust Client Portal (provided at no cost to clients) helped clients efficiently manage their editorial and composition jobs throughout the year.

Until we are able to safely return to in-person events, Westchester looks forward to connecting with you virtually through webinars and other content forms. We’re a convenient phone call or Zoom session away to help you address your workflow challenges. Get in touch with us, and let us know how we can become your trusted partner in publishing in the year ahead.

 

Compiled by Nicole Tomassi, Marketing & Conference Manager

As a year truly unlike any other winds down, I was curious about the books that my colleagues have read or would like to read during the next few months. Once again, they have shared interesting titles across multiple genres and topics. For the first time, we are also telling you about some of the independent bookstores we purchase our books from.

By clicking on the cover image, you’ll be directed to the Indiebound website to purchase from a bookstore near you. You can also check out the Bookshop.org site, where purchases can be made from a specific independent bookstore, or proceeds from your purchase are placed into a general fund that is distributed to all independent bookstores, including those not currently using the Bookshop platform.

Below the selections of my colleagues, I’ve shared several “Best of”  lists where you can find additional noteworthy titles that were released this year. Season’s readings, and wishes for continued safety, health, and well-being.

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

Publisher: Penguin Classics, Annotated

Why I Wanted to Read This Book: This comedy was performed around Christmas in 1602, and the title itself is a reference to the Twelfth Night after Christmas. With all of the revelry in the play, I think it makes for a good holiday read.

 

Tim YetzinaSelected by: Tim Yetzina, Senior Supervising Editor, STEM, Westchester Education Services

My Bookstore: Powell’s Books Chicago

 

Invisible life of Addie LarueThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

Publisher: Tor Books (an imprint of Macmillan Publishers, a Westchester client)

Why I wanted to read this book: I’ve enjoyed books by this author in the past, and when I read the premise—a woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets—I had to know what happens. It did not disappoint!

Kim GSelected by: Kimberly Giambattisto, Senior Production Editor

My Bookstore:  Powell’s City of Books, Portland, OR

 

Beer and RacisimBeer and Racism: How Beer Became White, Why It Matters, and the Movements to Change It by Nathaniel Chapman and David Brunsma

Publisher: Bristol University Press

Why I wanted to read this book: I am a former craft beer writer and a beer festival organizer. I loved the diversity of styles of craft beer, but was always bothered by how homogenous the industry is: lots of bearded white dudes. An English professor friend who specializes in critical race theory and examining structural racism and is an avowed craft beer geek organized a reading group for this book that is made up of academics and beer industry vets. As Westchester works to change the diversity in the educational publishing industry, it’s been interesting to see the parallel challenges in the craft beer industry.

KevinSelected by: Kevin J. Gray, President and Chief Content Officer, Westchester Education Services

My Bookstore: Bookshop.org

A Promised LandA Promised Land by Barack Obama

Publisher: Crown Publishing

Why I wanted to read this book: A Promised Land is an introspective tale of the 44th President of the United States. We get an insight into US partisan politics as well as international diplomacy. It is a very inspiring story and written so well that it is very pleasurable to read, with elegant prose and vivid details. He is poetic at times and super smart at others (even choice of words). And then there is a lot of introspection throughout the book, multiple angles are presented. He questions at one point whether his is a “blind ambition wrapped in the gauzy language of service.” Perhaps it is just “a deep self-consciousness. A sensitivity to rejection or looking stupid.” But this does give you a peek into his thinking process. It is not very personal and is a very sanitized account of events in his life, but if you like reading about politics and international diplomacy, this is a great pick.

MonaSelected by: Mona Tiwary, Director of Publishing Services, Westchester Publishing Services India

 

The SelloutThe Sellout by Paul Beatty

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (an imprint of Macmillan Publishers, a Westchester client)

Why I wanted to read this book: Paul Beatty is the first American to win the Man Booker prize for humor (British award), in 2016. Brits and critics—primarily white—wrote many reviews praising the satirical nature of the novel. Beatty, who is Black, often responded to these reviews with confusion because he does not categorize the book as satire. I was curious to understand the certainly racialized disconnect. This book critiques the bizarre, enduring violence of American white supremacy and somehow presents all with obvious, shocking humor; satire it most definitely is not. I adore Beatty’s brain. This book knocked me out.

Selected by: Samantha Tucker, Cultural Responsiveness Education Lead, Westchester Education Services

My Bookstore: The Book Loft, Columbus, OH

Moby DickMoby Dick by Herman Melville

Publisher: West Margin Press, Mint Editions (a Westchester client)

Why I wanted to read this book: This was one of my favorite books in high school, and I fondly remember reading it during an especially snowy December for English class. With winter coming and all of us doing our best to stay home and socially distant, it feels fitting to revisit this book in the new Mint Editions release from our client West Margin Press.

Information about their edition of this classic (in both print and ebook) is available here, and this post from their blog about reading classic literature is a must-read.

Selected by: Tyler M. Carey, Chief Revenue Officer

 

Still LifeStill Life by Louise Penny

Published by: Minotaur (an imprint of Macmillan Publishers, a Westchester client)

Why I wanted to read this book: I read this first installment in Louise Penny’s mystery series in 2017 and immediately fell in love (even in spite of the editing job, which was not handled by Westchester —that just shows you how much I liked it!). I have steadily been reading through her series ever since, and I just finished the eighth book, The Beautiful Mystery. Her mysteries are complex and personal, and her characters have so much depth that I feel I know them all as good friends by now. I escape to Penny’s rich rendition of Quebec whenever I need a book that I know will be both engaging and comforting!

Selected by: Ashley Moore, Copyeditor

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

Published by: Penguin Modern Classics

Why I wanted to read this book: As featured on BBC TV’s Between the Covers book club show and recommended by British comedian, Bill Bailey, as his favourite book. Bailey is currently competing on Strictly Come Dancing, the UK’s version of the US’ Dancing with the Stars! Apparently, it’s Billy Connolly’s favourite book too; clearly, it strikes a chord with comedians!

Tim DSelected by: Tim Davies, Managing Director, Westchester Publishing Services and Westchester Education Services, UK

 

Demystifying ShariahDemystifying Shariah: What it is, How it Works, and Why it’s Not Taking Over Our Country by Sumbul Ali-Karamali

Publisher: Beacon Press

Why I wanted to read this book: The author’s tone is conversational, which makes this an easy read. She dives into a topic that is often used to demonize Muslims, and breaks it down into concepts that are understandable by the layperson. I have a lot of people in my circles who still have questions and concerns about Shariah, and I’d like to be able to have clear, simple language to draw upon when discussing their concerns, as well as offer them an accessible book to read.

NiloferSelected by: Nilofer Ali, Resources Manager and DEI Committee Lead, Westchester Education Services

Watership DownWatership Down by Richard Adams

Publisher: Scribner

Why I wanted to read this book: I am rereading this inventive work because of its great storyline and characters dealing with society from a rabbit’s perspective.

Selected by: Stephanie Nelson, Proofreader

 

On Writing: A MemoirOn Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

Publisher: Scribner

Why I wanted to read this book: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft has been on my wish list for years. Due to Stephen King’s ability to imagine so many mystifying concepts, I wanted to discover his method for creating such intricate stories and to learn how his writing skills were developed. King’s novels possess constant upward momentum, regardless of the length of the story. The last title I read by King, Doctor Sleep, inspired me to finally pick up this memoir.

 

Selected by: Darryl Keck, Layout Specialist

Birth of LoudThe Birth of Loud: Leo Fender, Les Paul, and the Guitar-Pioneering Rivalry that Shaped Rock ‘N’ Roll by Ian S. Port

Publisher: Scribner

Why I wanted to read this book:  I wanted to know more about how the solid-body electric guitar came into existence. This book has a fairly narrow focus on Fender and Gibson guitars that provides a portrait of the two personalities (Leo Fender and Les Paul) responsible for major early developments and commercial success. The text follows the arc of their careers and contributions to the electric guitar’s evolution, and how their instruments have influenced the culture at large. A very enjoyable read with lots of song titles and artists to illustrate the sonic evolution of the guitars and amplifiers.

Selected by: JodieAnne Sclafani, Production Supervisor—Design, Graphics, and Proof

My Bookstore: Oblong Books

 

Hidden Valley roadHidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker

Publisher: Doubleday

Why I want to read this book:  I want to gain a better understanding of how mental illness impacts both the person directly suffering from the disease and the repercussions on those who are closest to them. The author shares the harrowing story of Don and Mimi Galvin and their family of two girls and ten boys, as ultimately six of the sons would be diagnosed with schizophrenia. In addition to interviewing some of the researchers who studied the family for decades looking for clues genetic and otherwise to the causes of this disease, he also speaks with Mimi and her daughters, who endured collateral physical and emotional traumas as a result.

Selected by: Nicole Tomassi, Marketing & Conference Manager

For more book selections and reviews, check out the resources below: