The Joss Group

Working on New Ideas for Articles for the Seybold Report

When you publish a newsletter twice a month and each one is at least 16 pages long, you spend a lot of time thinking up new ideas for articles. The main parameters are broad and fertile enough for us to plant any number of ideas; in the Seybold Report we talk about technologies used in the graphic arts industry. These days certain topics are hot: multi-channel publishing for mobile content and tablet PCs, primarily for the iPad. Digital printing is another topic people never get tired of reading about in the Report.

So, here is one idea we are kicking around--an article about combining text and e-books into one product or a series of products. Who is doing it? What does a project like this entail and cost?

Another idea we are discussing is digging into the topic of certification programs for digital printing. Paper is certified for use on digital presses, printing companies can be certified in certain types of printing techniques done on digital presses. Okay, so what does all this mean to the printing company and to print buyers? Is the certification worth paper it is printed on?

And, of course, we are working on article ideas related to the categories for the Phoenix Awards: sustainability, innovation, and automation. But, that is material for another post on another day.

 

Research Finding from Book Industry Study Group: most college students prefer print textbooks rather than e-texts

Paraphrasing from the from the Book Industry Study Group press release: "Nearly 75% of students who recently responded to a major new research survey prefer printed text books over e-texts. Why: because they like print's "look and feel, as well as its permanence and ability to be resold."

Surprised? I am not. I tutor high school and college students part-time and have done for years. Several of my students in the past few years have either had laptops handed to them or are required to read textbooks online. Not a single student likes doing either. I do not blame them. From what I have seen of online text and online education, it is all a big snooze. Plus, the e-texts do not have any of the ease of use the printed textbooks do--including the ability to quickly access other sections, chapters, included reference material, and the index.

Of course, e-texts will be come more user friendly as publishers invest more in development. However, I am so glad college students like print, and since they are humans (yes, they are), then they will continue to like the look and feel of print. It does grow on you.

iPad Publishing Program for Educators

XanEdu Publishing Inc. has launched an iPad publishing program for educators. The company creates custom textbooks for hundreds of schools in the United States. This is, in my opinion, a good example of how textbook and general educational publishing, will change in the next few years. more