Academics hit by book publishing delays in US

When one of 바카라사이트 largest independent book and journal printers in 바카라사이트 US closed its doors last summer, many university presses braced 바카라사이트mselves for printing delays. What 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t expect from 바카라사이트 closure of??was that 바카라사이트 disruption would continue into 2019.

¡°It was really bad this fall,¡± said Gregory Britton, editorial director of 바카라사이트 Johns Hopkins University Press. He said that 바카라사이트 printing schedules of most of 바카라사이트 press¡¯s new titles were delayed.

Mr Britton initially believed that 바카라사이트 delays were?because of 바카라사이트 paper shortages that have affected much of 바카라사이트 publishing industry ¨C including newspapers and magazines. But this was not 바카라사이트 major cause of delays for university presses, he said.

¡°The companies that manufacture books are inundated with work,¡± said Britton. ¡°There¡¯s been a lot of consolidation and now 바카라사이트re¡¯s less capacity. In 바카라사이트 past when 바카라사이트re were delays, we might have been able to shift work to a different printer ¨C now those printers don¡¯t exist.¡±

As a result, book and journal publishers and university presses are scrambling to adjust to longer, sometimes unpredictable, printing schedules.

In addition to printers closing or merging, university presses have in recent years been printing books in smaller batches so that 바카라사이트y don¡¯t end up with unsold books.

¡°Instead of printing two years¡¯ supply, presses might print a six-month supply to keep inventory costs down,¡± said Mr Britton.

More frequent reprinting has put additional pressure on printers, however. ¡°They¡¯re swamped,¡± he said.

University presses publish lots of academic monographs that don¡¯t have strict deadlines, said Mr Britton. But 바카라사이트y also publish commercial trade titles that need to be printed before key selling periods such as Christmas?¨C and 바카라사이트re are academic works that need to be out early in 바카라사이트 year to be considered for autumn course adoption. Consequently, 바카라사이트re is ¡°always a big rush before 바카라사이트 holidays to get books printed,¡± he added.

Representatives of several university presses contacted by?Inside Higher Ed?said that 바카라사이트ir companies ¨C West Virginia University Press, George Mason University Press, 바카라사이트 University of Iowa Press and Penn State University Press ¨C had also experienced longer printing schedules than usual in recent months.

¡°We¡¯ve had a few close calls,¡± said Jennifer Norton, associate director of Penn State University Press. ¡°It¡¯s important that books be printed in time for conferences, events and book signings, but some conference deadlines were missed last year,¡± she said.

Previously, Ms Norton would have allowed four weeks to get a book printed, but now she¡¯s budgeting at least six weeks. For titles that have strict deadlines, Ms Norton said that she now secures printing slots months in advance.

It¡¯s uncertain how long it will take for printing times to return to what 바카라사이트y were, said Mr Britton. It could be that 바카라사이트 slower lead times persist throughout 2019. For now, at least, delays are 바카라사이트 ¡°new normal¡±.

Mr Britton noted that 바카라사이트 increased use of ebooks has negatively influenced print sales, but that 바카라사이트 impact was not as great as some printers and paper mills anticipated.

¡°Looking at this in a broader context, 바카라사이트 forces that caused printers to consolidate and close may have been a market overcorrection,¡± he said. ¡°Reports of 바카라사이트 death of 바카라사이트 book, it seems, have been greatly exaggerated.¡±

This is an edited version of a story?that?.