Book Publishers and Printers

Scientific/Technical/Medical Books and Journals

Books that address highly technical subjects tend to be voluminous, because of the complexity of the subject matter and the level of detail required to communicate it. In many cases, book publishers print these books on lighter weight paper because lightweight stocks have higher bulking numbers. A recent study found that 35# - 40# uncoated freesheet (14# - 16# bond) accounted for 34% of all the paper used in Scientific/Technical books in the United States.

Publishers in this market are better served by a print-on-demand approach than by offset printing. Many of the books and journals directed at the scientific community are highly specialized, so readership potential is strictly limited. Because knowledge advances so rapidly in the fields of science, technology and medicine, books and journals in this arena have a relatively brief shelf life before they become obsolete. With the necessity for short run lengths, the economics of offset become unfavorable.

Finally, with help from XSIS, publishers can move to a "book on demand" production process that is ideal for the Scientific/Technical/Medical market. The XSIS Lightweight Paper printer can handle 14# bond (or even lighter bond) as well as standard weight papers, so publishers can avoid the costs of warehousing, bookseller returns, destruction/remaindering, and taxes on inventory that result from over-printing.

Many of these same journals and books on scientific, technical and medical topics include low contrast black-and-white photographs or very elaborate statistical charts. These pages are frequently printed on coated papers in order to render the sharpest possible image. Using an XSIS high speed printer adapted for Glossy Paper, publishers can print journal and book inserts -- or entire volumes -- on coated stocks. This solution enables the publisher to deliver high quality grey scale images and reproductions of finely detailed line art without sacrificing the benefits of print-on-demand technology.

 Subscription Reference (professional)

Professionals like lawyers and accountants must keep abreast of the latest changes in those areas of the law that affect them. Awareness of new legislation, cases pending, recent rulings and citations are critical to the practitioner in the fast changing world of tax law, civil procedures and criminal defense. The most popular vehicle for disseminating this type of information is the Subscription service. Even if the same text is available on CD-ROM or through an on-line database, most professionals order a hardcopy version (alone or to supplement electronic versions), because paper is still the easiest format to read, annotate, transport and manipulate.

Regular hardcopy updates and periodic digests are usually sent out through the mail. Print-on-demand is the perfect solution for printing these materials, because it allows them to be published within tight print windows (when the value of information is high), and to publish only as many as there are orders. A digital solution guarantees no waste and minimal turnaround time on any document whose value lies in its timeliness. Now, the XSIS Lightweight Paper printer enables the publisher to minimize the expense of postage as well!

Conference Proceedings

Most scientific associations and professional organizations hold conferences on a regular schedule. A conference usually involves a large number of speeches and presentations intended to share research results or best practices, educate members and orchestrate organizational activities. A complete record of the conference is published afterward. These conference proceedings are often thick volumes produced months later, and mailed to attendees and others interested in the material delivered during the conference.

Proceedings make an excellent candidate for publication on Lightweight paper using an XSIS-adapted laser printer. The volumes will be thinner, so they will fit more easily on crowded office bookshelves. They will cost less to mail since each document will weigh less than if it were printed on standard paper, saving the organization money. Yet the readers will find that the appearance and quality of the paper in the document will be very similar to that of 20# bond. Finally, the pages are published on a Xerox print-on-demand solution so the time from end of conference to receipt of the proceedings will be greatly compressed compared to traditional methods of publishing. A book printer who can offer these advantages should be able to win the business of conference organizers more frequently than his competitors.