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Westchester K-12 Publishing Services Summit

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by Kevin J. Gray, Managing Director, Westchester K-12 Publishing Services

We launched the K-12 division just over a year ago, debuting at the AAP Content in Context forum. Westchester K-12 was founded on the belief that educational publishers deserved a higher level of product development support than they were receiving, and I was confident this fledgling division could deliver on that promise.

Over the course of the past year, Westchester K-12 has grown from a group that highly leveraged the assets of our academic, journal, and trade group into a freestanding division that is a significant part of the company footprint. Our team of dedicated, experienced professionals built impressive careers with other successful publishers and vendors before joining Westchester K-12 to lead content development, art, design, and production in all subject areas for our clients. We’ve added processes and resources unique to the needs of educational publishers while retaining the best practices of our parent company.

Members of the Westchester K-12 team are located throughout the country, so last week, we brought our geographically dispersed workforce into our Dayton, Ohio K-12 headquarters for our first WPS K-12 Summit. The summit provided team members an open forum to review what’s working, while also determining how we sustain that model as we continue to grow. There were two full days of workshops with an emphasis on reflection and planning, examining who we work with, what seats we’ll need to fill, what processes need to be codified, and how we tend to the nascent culture we’ve established, ensuring its scalability and continued relevance. The meetings were collaborative and the team left energized, taking with them both a shared vision and concrete steps for implementation that will lead to continued success.

You may be wondering what it all means to you. I share news of this summit so that you have a better understanding of Westchester K-12’s commitment to the high quality work we create and to continuing the positive experiences of our customer base. As we grow, we expect to hold these summits regularly, allowing us to make conscious decisions about how we retain the core vision from which the organization sprung. I’m proud of what our division has accomplished in its first year and I look forward to what the next 12 months will bring.

by Nicole Tomassi, Marketing & Conference Manager

Last December, I shared on this blog a list of books our staff had read in 2017 that they enjoyed so much, they wanted to recommend them. Well, fast forward several months to what I consider the official start of summer – Memorial Day weekend – and I have a new list of titles to share with you; some so new they haven’t been published yet. This list offers interesting selections, including biographies about people you thought you knew, surefire bestsellers from well-known authors, and riveting memoirs. You’re sure to find a title or two to add to your reading list. Though some might think you’re being lazy whiling the day away with a good book, I believe it’s time very well-spent. Wishing you a happy, fun-filled summer of reading from all of your friends at Westchester!

To learn more about any title below or to order from your favorite local bookstore, simply click on the cover image.

Ruthless River: Love and Survival by Raft on the Amazon’s Relentless Madre de Dios – by Holly FitzGerald

Publisher: Vintage Books

Why I want to read this book: A gripping story of survival in the beautiful but deadly Amazon Basin will have you racing through this book. It’s the true story of a young couple, who grew up in southwestern Connecticut, on a delayed honeymoon through South America in the 1970s. The author’s account of their ordeal is harrowing and exciting, but also ruminates on the way love and faith intertwines with a person’s deep-rooted instinct to survive.

Selected by: Erin Leo, Journals Production Editor

Doctor Who, The Day of the Doctor – by Steven Moffat

Publisher: Penguin Group UK

Why I want to read this book: Growing up in the 80s, Britain’s Doctor Who was a nerd touchstone for young American sci-fi and comic book fans. Nowadays it is constantly airing on TV and streaming, but back then it was rerun on public television in the States, and usually only seasonally so you had to wait for your fix of whatever episodes the local PBS affiliate was able to get their hands on for their annual telethon. To fill in the gaps for fans who only got to see it occasionally – or had missed out on earlier incarnations of the sci-fi hero – there were Target paperback novelizations of classic episodes. I devoured these whenever I could find them in a library or local bookshop. Now, even though you can binge-watch it on Amazon Prime whenever you’d like, Penguin has worked with the shows writers and producers to come up with novelizations of newer episodes, expanding the content a bit with Easter eggs for eager readers. I’m awaiting my copy of The Day of the Doctor, written by the show’s writer, Steven Moffat, and plan on finding my inner 80s nerd again while reading this on the beach this Summer.

Selected by: Tyler M. Carey, Chief Revenue Officer

The Outsider – by Steven King

Publisher: Scribner Book Company

Why I want to read this book: I collect Stephen King books, so it’s no surprise that I’m eagerly awaiting the release of his newest book. This one is about a murder in a small town and an upstanding member of the community as the unexpected perpetrator, at least according to the evidence. I have a feeling nothing in this book will be as it seems.

Selected by: Kim Giambattisto, Senior Production Editor

Look for Me – by Lisa Gardner

Publisher: Dutton Books

Why I want to read this book: Lisa Gardner is one of the only authors I’ve discovered who continues to deliver an unexpected and satisfying ending in every one of her books. I gobbled up her last few novels (Find Her and Right Behind You) so quickly that I’ve been dying to see what she’ll do next!

 

Selected by: Christina Kinsella, Journals Production Editor

The Art of the Wasted Day – by Patricia Hampl

Publisher: Viking

Why I want to read this book: A picaresque travelogue of leisure written from a lifelong enchantment with solitude. … The real job of being human … is getting lost in thought, something only leisure can provide. The Art of the Wasted Day is a compelling celebration of the purpose and appeal of letting go.

I plan to take this book with me while enjoying a week by the lake in Maine this summer.

Selected by: Debbie Masi, Production Supervisor, Editorial Services

Beauty in the Broken Places: A Memoir of Love, Faith, and Resilience – by Allison Pataki

Publisher: Random House

Why I want to read this book: Five months pregnant and on their way to their “babymoon,” Dr. Dave Levy suffered a rare and life-threatening stroke. This deeply moving memoir is the story of Dave’s miraculous and hard-fought recovery, which is beautifully chronicled in Allison’s letters to her husband. Interspersing their history with the realities of Dave’s day-to-day recovery, the author seamlessly brings the reader into their love story and their journey to bring Dave back and to fall in love all over again. Beauty in the Broken Places reminds us how life can change in an instant and the miracles of second chances.

Selected by: Wendy Muto, Production Manager, Editorial Services

The Death of Mrs. Westaway – by Ruth Ware

Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press

Why I want to read this book: Everything Ruth Ware has written so far has been intensely captivating and intriguing, and I expect that her newest novel will be no different. In a Dark, Dark Wood and The Lying Game were books I just couldn’t put down. With a movie adaptation in the works, I am excited to see what she comes up with next. The Death of Mrs. Westaway is her fourth novel and is sure to be another addictive one. If you love classic mysteries with modern twists, then I’d definitely recommend picking this up.

Selected by: Christina Kinsella, Journals Production Editor

There But for Fortune: The Life of Phil Ochs – by Michael Schumacher

Publisher: University of Minnesota Press

Why I want to read this book: I was a teenager when a friend’s father first introduced me to the music of Phil Ochs. His wit and sarcasm was very appealing to my teenage mind. Over the years I’ve developed a deeper appreciation for the lyrics and themes of his songs as I’ve pursued graduate work in American history. I’m looking forward to reading his latest biography in hopes of gaining a new perspective on a person whose radical commentary of the 1960s American political landscape continues to find relevance in my studies.

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

The Tragedy of Benedict Arnold: An American Life – by Joyce Lee Malcolm

Publisher: Pegasus Books

Why I want to read this book: If you live (as I do) in Ridgefield, CT, you come to know Benedict Arnold as the hero of the Battle of Ridgefield, which took place on April 27, 1777, rather than just the infamous traitor he became later. This new book provides a portrait of the man from the early days of his life, in the context of late 18th century America, where you are brought right into the action at some of the most important moments of our country’s history. Without Arnold’s brilliance as a general in the Battle of Saratoga and elsewhere the Revolutionary War could have been lost; this narrative seeks to solve the mystery of why he would later plot to surrender West Point.

Selected by: Susan Baker, Director, Editorial Services

Every Other Weekend – by Zulema Renee Summerfield

Publisher: Little Brown and Company

Why I want to read this book: Set in 1988, this debut novel tells the story of Nenny, an eight year old girl who along with her brothers is coming to terms with the reality of her parents’ divorce. Nenny’s an anxious child, and a new living situation which includes her mother’s new husband and his two children only serves to heighten that. Nenny also possesses a very active imagination, which merges the real, the possible, and the improbable in ways that only children can. I’m looking forward to reading this book because like the main character, my family was going through significant changes that made 1988 a transformative year  – though for very different reasons – and with the passage of thirty years, it’s become a time I look back upon with amazement.

Selected by: Nicole Tomassi, Marketing and Conference Manager

If you’re looking for more books to put on your summer reading list, consider these resources:

Publishers Weekly – Best Summer Reads 2018

Gates Notes  – 5 books worth reading this summer

The New York Times – 17 Refreshing Books to Read This Summer

 

by Tyler M. Carey, Chief Revenue Officer

Olympia, London

A week and a half following my return, and I have finally dug out from a very productive London Book Fair. Westchester once again exhibited at LBF, where last year as you may recall we had a prime location next to the scholarly publishing seminars at The Faculty. This year, instead of being in an independent stand, we relocated to The American Collective Stand which provides fantastic service to the publishers and vendors that use their collective area for meetings and exhibiting. We also were able to attend the IPG stand party (read their  LBF recap here) to network further with our clients and potential partners. This different approach was very effective, with Dennis, Tim, and I having about 40 meetings over the three days we were at the Fair. Those of you who caught the New York Times coverage of the Fair and the rights business may have even had the opportunity to play some Where’s Waldo (Where’s Wally to our British customers) – yes, that is me in my powder blue blazer in the lower left corner of the crowd shot.

It’s worth noting that while the London Book Fair is indeed a global event that allows us to meet with publishers from many countries, this year our emphasis was focused on the British publishing market. Over the past year, Westchester staff have returned many times to the United Kingdom, where we have continued to build out our presence, UK-based staff and freelance resources, and most importantly, our customer base. The level of interest in Westchester’s services from the British publishing market has been so substantial that earlier this Spring we brought on Tim Davies to helm our UK operation.

Tim Davies, at the London Book Fair Westchester stand

Tim’s engagement with publishers on behalf of Westchester at the London Book Fair was a big game changer for the company. Tim has an innate understanding of publishers’ needs having been a publisher himself, and is also quite attuned to the consultative nature of Westchester’s business (no two clients really have the same workflow). This both-sides-of-the-desk expertise, if you will, has allowed Tim to have meaningful dialogues with British publishers, to help them evaluate their publications programs, areas where they may need some assistance, and explore ways that Westchester can provide affordable, scalable solutions to help publishers with as few as 2-5 titles per year or as many as 500+ address their specific editorial and production needs. Publishers we spoke with found our consultative approach towards working with clients and their authors to be very compelling. Shortly after the Fair, our Director of Operations, Terry Colosimo, released a blog post that expands upon this, and echoes much of what was discussed with our partners at the Fair.

Receiving the Freedom of the City of London honor

Lastly, a trip to London for me is not complete without trying to attend an event with my colleagues from The Stationers’ Company, London’s publishing guild. While the Westchester team did indeed catch up with several of The Stationers’ at the Fair and at surrounding events, I was fortunate enough to be granted my Freedom of the City of London from the Company. For this second round of Where’s Waldo/Wally, eagle-eyed readers of the Westchester blog may recall seeing a similar photo from our friend Lorraine Shanley’s ceremony, last year. It was humbling to be one of the few Americans offered this tribute, and in joining the ranks of Morgan Freeman and Bill Gates, I’m quite confident that the wrong Tyler Carey was nominated. Nonetheless, I was happy and grateful to join my friends, family, and colleagues at Guildhall for this ceremony. I was also amazed to learn that I am now eligible, under the privileges bestowed by my Freedom of the City, to drive a flock of sheep across London Bridge.  (No joke, every Fall Freemen get to do this.)  Anybody based near London with an available flock of sheep that can be leased (option to buy, negotiable) is encouraged to contact me directly.

by Terry Colosimo, Director of Operations

Before joining Westchester, I was a Production Manager at an academic publisher working with both printing and composition vendors. Though quality and cost were of importance, the vendor’s level of customer service weighed heavy in my decision-making process, and sometimes projects were awarded to a vendor due to the level of care that the customer service representative (CSR) would bring to it. Even though I have not purchased services for quite some time, I still have contact with some of the very first CSRs I was introduced to.

Once I started working here, my responsibilities transitioned from seeking out vendors to ensuring that Westchester’s reputation for quality and service was maintained. Fortunately, this has been an easy task to carry out, in that the representatives we have on our team exhibit the same traits which I sought out when I was on the publisher’s side of the desk.

Ask yourself whether your current editorial or production vendor embodies these qualities:

Responsiveness—responding to a customer in a timely manner would seem to be obvious, but I think we have all experienced that uneasiness that comes while waiting for a response. Many times your representative may not have all the information they need to answer your question, but this should not stop a representative from sending out a quick acknowledgment to let you know that they are looking into your query or working on your request. Once that acknowledgment is made, they should then get back to you in a timely and thorough manner.

Experience—a customer service team should have extensive knowledge in all areas of publishing services. Their combined experience comes from grasping the nuances of client’s production workflow. An experienced CSR knows what to ask if you are uncertain about the particulars of a job. What may be a new product or workflow for you may be familiar to your CSR and they should be able to help navigate the process with you. Not each customer is the same, but what a CSR learns from each customer helps build a knowledge base for each one on the team to use.

Flexibility—because not every client is going to follow the same model and not every one of your own projects is going to be the same, good customer service requires being flexible. You should get reassurance, and not resistance from your CSR that they can handle a time sensitive or high profile project. Systems should be adaptable enough so that a unique project does not negatively affect the rest of your projects or schedules.

Ownership—you should feel like your CSR fully owns your account and acts on your behalf. A CSR’s responsibility is to make sure that everyone in the organization understands your SOPs; sees that any changes get implemented within each department and cross-trains others so that there is seamless service if they are away. Based on their knowledge and the relationship they have built with you, they should be able to work with you and offer suggestions if needed. Ownership also means acknowledging when mistakes are made and working on getting those resolved to your satisfaction.

Proactive—if a problem does occur, your CSR should be able to determine its cause and how to get it resolved as quickly as possible. They should work with production to determine ways to avoid such situations from happening in the future and give you a sense of confidence that an issue has been thoroughly addressed. And given their experience on your account, they should understand your needs well enough to resolve as much as they can internally before raising a query with you.

These five traits are what I believe set a vendor apart, and propel them into becoming a trusted partner to a publisher.  At Westchester, these are far more than a list of desirable qualities – they are key components guiding the approach we take with every project each of our valued clients provides us.

I hope my thoughts about customer service were helpful and informative for you. In my next post, I will share my thoughts with you on the subject of client visits.

IPG Spring Conference, and gearing up for the London Book Fair

By Tyler M. Carey, Chief Revenue Officer

IPG’s annual Spring Conference, held at the Crowne Plaza Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire, is an exceptionally well-organized event welcoming small-to-mid-sized publishers for an intensive two days of sessions and networking, to help address the pressures distinct to publishers of this size. The grounds of the Crowne Plaza are beautiful, looking a bit like a Downton Abbey manor house placed in the midst of a sylvan Tolkien tale.

There are truly few better places to have a conference!  A particular benefit is that it’s removed from the London trade publishing world, bringing Great Britain’s publishers to an area outside the city, thoughtfully disconnecting them from the day-to-day distractions that can pop up when you’re just a quick tube ride away from the office, or the sense of obligation to play tourist should you find yourself in London having come from a place far away.

Westchester’s Interim Director, UK – Tim Davies – and I were excited to exhibit at the conference. Tim came on board just prior to the conference, providing a great opportunity for him to meet with some of our existing clients as well as talk with other publishers in the industry about their current workflows for editorial and production on their publications. Tim has a longstanding history within the IPG and had been invited to host a very well received workshop with smaller publishers about managing growth and operations. He has also dived in to his new role at Westchester and has provided wise guidance on the resources we will continue to expand to support the particular needs of British publishers.

For Westchester overall, finally getting to attend an IPG event was very valuable. The sessions ranged from the topical (the BBC’s Amol Rajan discussing the trends of fake news and the trust in content), to the geopolitical (MP Ken Clarke providing a perspective on Brexit for the publishing industry), to specific publishing topics (workshops, presentations, GDPR and AI sessions, and a keynote by innovative designer Alan Moore). The feedback for IPG following the conference was very positive. You can read their post-conference wrap up here, which is like a mini-summary for those who missed it.

The footprint of IPG’s membership aligns quite closely with the size of clients Westchester typically supports, especially those that are in growth mode and are at the point where they need to evaluate the choice of hiring on a vendor to help support growth, or hiring on more staff and having enough work to keep them constantly busy.  Within the coming weeks, a white paper sponsored by Westchester Publishing Services will be released exploring that idea in greater detail.  Make sure you subscribe to this blog to stay up to date on that. While that paper has been in production for a while it was really valuable to revalidate that position in discussions with many publishers that are approaching that tipping point of growth.

In closing, the IPG conference also served as a great opportunity to meet with several of Great Britain’s independent publishers in advance of attending the forthcoming London Book Fair. It helped us to reaffirm the services that Westchester provides are in alignment with their requirements as we continue to expand our support for publishers in this important market.

Are you headed to LBF? You can find Westchester on Stand 6B107b.  Contact Us to arrange an appointment at the Fair, or just come by our Stand to meet some of our management team and discuss your particular publications needs.