Henderson, Kathryn Luther

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Front matter including foreword and table of contents to Trends in American publishing; papers presented at an institute conducted by the University of Illinois Graduate School of Library Science, November 5-8, 1967

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020.715no, Ucop, 3TRENDS IN AMERICAN PUBLISHINGAllerton Park InstituteThe person charging this material is re-sponsible for its return on or before theLatest Date stamped below.Theft, mutilation, and underlining of booksare reasons for disciplinary action and mayresult in dismissal from the University.University of Illinois LibraryL161 O-1096ALLERTON PARK INSTITUTENumber FourteenTRENDS IN AMERICAN PUBLISHINGPapers presented at an Instituteconducted by theUniversity of IllinoisGraduate School of Library ScienceNovember 5-8, 1967Edited byKathryn Luther HendersonUniversity of IllinoisGraduate School of Library ScienceChampaign, IllinoisCopyright 1968 byKathryn Luther HendersonVOLUMES IN THIS SERIESThe School Library Supervisor (Allerton Park Institute No. 1), 1956.$2 paper; $3 cloth.The Nature and Development of the Library Collection (No. 3), 1957.$2 paper; $3 cloth.The Library as a Community Information Center (No. 4), 1959. $2paper; $3 cloth.The Role of Classification in the Modern American Library (No. 6),1959. $2 paper; $3 cloth.Collecting Science Literature for General Reading (No. 7), 1960. $2paper; $3 cloth.The Impact of the Library Services Act: Progress and Potential (No. 8),1961. $2 paper; $3 cloth.Selection and Acquisition Procedures in Medium-Sized and Large Li-braries (No. 9), 1963. $2 paper; $3 cloth.The School Library Materials Center: Its Resources and Their Uti-lization (No. 10), 1964. $2 paper; $3 cloth.University Archives (No. 11), 1965. $2 paper; $3 cloth.The Changing Environment for Library Services in the MetropolitanArea (No. 12), 1966. $2 paper; $3 cloth.Federal Legislation for Libraries (No. 13), 1967. $2 paper; $3 cloth.Trends in American Publishing (No. 14), 1968. $4 cloth.NOTE: The papers from Institutes 2 and 5 have not been published.All volumes are available from the Illini Union Bookstore, 715 S. WrightStreet, Champaign, Illinois 61820.. (r FOREWORDThe publishing industry is experiencing great growth and majorchanges. Books and periodicals, the familiar tools of the world oflearning, have been joined in recent years by a variety of new mediaand new forms of publication. The publications explosion has touchedevery aspect of librarianship from selection to circulation. It was theintention of the Fourteenth Annual Allerton Institute sponsored by theUniversity of Illinois Graduate School of Library Science to describesome of the current trends in American publishing and to assesstheir implications for the future. The conference was held fromSunday, November 5, to Wednesday, November 8, 1967, at AllertonPark, the conference center of the University of Illinois.Some eighty people from Washington state to New York state;from Minnesota to Puerto Rico, gathered as registrants for the con-ference and were joined by other members of the local library com-munity and the Library School. They were afforded the opportunity tocontinue with the questions and discussion which were begun duringthe more formal scheduled sessions, since we were fortunate inhaving many of the speakers with us throughout the conference. Inthis published volume, we can share only the results of the formalsessions. The results of the more informal sessions are recordedonly in the minds, lives and future contributions of those who wereactive participants in these other learning experiences. The recordsof the two panel discussions are presented in summary form later inthis Foreword.The first paper presented in this volume is Dan Lacy's openingaddress, "Major Trends in American Book Publishing." In it, he iden-tifies two principal forces which have produced dramatic changes inAmerican book publishing in the last fifteen years: the large numberof children born annually since World War n and the changing patternof American education. In "Current Trends in American Publishing,"Charles Madison presents the background to the numerous recentmergers, and to the entry of the electronics corporations into thepublishing field, whose implications cannot be fully seen at this time.Robert W. Frase discusses the allied topic, "The Economics of Pub-lishing," including the part that libraries and other educationalagencies play as consumers of published works.The aspects of the proposed copyright law which may affectlibraries are indicated by Abe A. Goldman: fair use, requirement forand placement of copyright notice, duration of copyright, effects uponthe copying of manuscript collections, and use of copyrighted worksin computer-based systems. "The Role of Computers," as it hasvipenetrated the publishing world in respect to one firm, the R. R.Bowker Company, and as it may be seen in relation to others in thefuture is discussed by Daniel Melcher.Robert J. R. Follett takes a look at educational publishing.Existing to serve education itself, it is very much influenced by twomajor trends in American education: (1) the shift to thinking of edu-cation as an investment rather than as an expense, and (2) the changein the emphasis of education from teaching to learning.As the only librarian among the writers of the formal papers,Edwin Castagna looks at the publisher- librarian relationship, con-sidering them as two groups which "share in the crucial responsi-bilities of maintaining our country's information network." From thevantage point of his own personal experience as a bookstore ownerand operator of long standing, Louis Epstein discusses "Bookstores:A Main Distribution Agency for Books." Yet another aspect ofAmerican book publishing is presented in Emily Schossberger'saccount of the growth in size and importance of "The American Uni-versity Press" in the past two decades to which she adds a predictionof its future role and responsibility.A panel composed of Herbert Goldhor (Director, GraduateSchool of Library Science), moderator, and Emily Schossberger, Ed-win Castagna, Louis Epstein, and Charles Madison discussed the roleof paperback publishing. Some points from this discussion are pre-sented here:1. While the heyday of the mass- market, popular paperbackseems to be over, the quality paperback can be expected to in-crease in the future. Quality paperbacks can be defined as thosepaperbacks handled by book dealers and jobbers rather thanthrough magazine distribution agencies.2. Because of the impact of education on all aspects of lifeand the increase in the number of students of all kinds, paperbackbooks have come to fill a need not only in the lives of individualpurchasers but in libraries as well.3. Libraries will need to continue to buy paperbacks for.several reasons: (a) in some cases, paperback is the only form inwhich the book can be purchased; (b) better methods of bindingpaperbacks are now available; (c) paperbacks provide a less ex-pensive means of purchasing multiple copies of books which maybe needed for short periods of use; (d) since a paperback oftencarries a connotation of being a "less scholarly" publication andless a reminder of "school" or"study," it introduces some readersto library materials who might otherwise resist them and (e) sincepaperbacks are more expendable than hardback books, they can beintroduced in greater quantity, with little or no processing, intonewly-organized or experimental programs.4. The bookseller has to find a way to sell paperbacks. TheVI 1availability of so many different titles in paperback form makes itdifficult to choose from among them when space for paperbackstock is limited. Needs of users are difficult to determine andoften much of the stock must be returned to the distributors.5. Although, as mentioned earlier, some books now appearoriginally in paperback form, reprinting still makes up a sizableamount of paperback publishing.Throughout the conference, it had been reiterated that the re-sults of a conference such as this could not be known for some timeto come. In an attempt to summarize some of its implications and tomake suggestions for the future, a second panel discussion formedthe concluding session. Holland E. Stevens of the Graduate School ofLibrary Science of the University of Illinois served as moderator.Representatives of special, public and academic libraries includedWilliam S. Buddington, Librarian, The John Crerar Library; RobertD. Franklin, Director, Toledo (Ohio) Public Library; and Kenneth W.Soderland, Assistant Director for Preparations, University of Chi-cago. It was not possible for the representative of school libraries totake part, but frequent contributions were made by many of the otherparticipants in the conference.Discussion centered around the following concerns:1. The entry of the electronics industry into the publishingfield may result in the curtailment of the publication of referencebooks and other tools needed by only a limited number of specialusers. On the other hand, this may be counter-balanced by the factthat the electronics firms have a deeper sense of the needs re-sulting from the information explosion and therefore may be ableto make special records more quickly available through tapes,microforms, etc.2. In the past, book selectors, especially in the nonfictionarea, have relied upon the reputation of the publisher for the se-lection of materials when reviews are lacking or not yet available.With the entry of new interests into the publishing world, and thechanging complexion of the entire publishing scene, this may nolonger be as reliable a means as it has been in the past. Librar-ians may need to be more keenly aware of this fact.3. At a time when libraries must perform new functions andwhen personnel shortages are at their highest, there has also beenan increase in publications without a proportionate increase in li-brary personnel. Therefore it has become impossible for manylibraries to give the attention to book selection that once was done.If, indeed, a closer scrutiny must be given in the future to the out-put of publishers, book selection will become increasingly difficultfor many libraries. In view of these difficulties, it was suggestedthat a cooperative selection or reviewing service formed by theVllllibrary profession itself might be helpful in alleviating these prob-lemsalthough it was realized that such a venture introduced newproblems of its own.4. Possible complications resulting from the proposed copy-right law were seen to come primarily from the removal of copy-right notice from stated places in the publication. The possibilityof not knowing the date of appearance of the content of a book isof particular concern to the special library, where copyright dateis essential information. Complications arising from the confusionover the applicability of copyright to computer technology, fac-simile transmission, etc. were seen as another area of real con-cern. The extension of the time limit for copyright that will resultin uncertainty in many cases about date of death pluse fifty yearswas another concern.5. A continuing need was seen for reprints in various sub-ject areas as new libraries come into existence and materials inold ones need to be extended or replaced.6. The fear was expressed that, although "the book is hereto stay" in principle, the problem of deteriorating paper oftenmakes this a questionable statement in practice. Advances in pa-per technology have been made and some publishers are usingdurable "permanent" papers. However, it may be necessary tomake some investigations about the added expense or the real needfor more extensive use of such paper for library copies. While notall publications will need to "last forever," librarians expressedan interest in having more of a hand in the possible selection oftitles for which "permanent" paper might be important.7. It was concluded that only through cooperation betweenlibrarians and publishers could many of the fears be alleviated andmany of the goals achieved. Since both groups have the goal ofmaking information available where it is needed, it was hopedthat this conference would lead to increased understanding andcommunication.No conference and its resulting papers come automatically intoexistence. A number of people in the Library School and the Universityhave had a hand in this conference and in preparation of this volume.First of all should be mentioned Herbert Goldhor, who was respon-sible for many of the details of this conference. The rest of the Plan-ning Committee is grateful for his leadership. Mrs. Frances B.Jenkins, a member of the Committee was helpful in many ways be-fore, during and after the conference. The Committee was alsofortunate in having Miss Eleanor Blum, Assistant Professor of Jour-nalism and Communications Librarian, as a member; without herknowledge of the publishing world, our task would have been muchmore difficult. We are also grateful to Holland E. Stevens and othermembers of the faculty for their help during the conference.ixThe annual Allerton Park Institute was planned and presented inconjunction with the Division of University Extension. Timothy Sineathis the Academic Coordinator, Extension Library Science, Division ofUniversity Extension. He deserved a special note of thanks for hiseffective handling of the many details involved in such a conference.Those who administer the facilities at Allerton House made our staya pleasant one and we wish to thank them for this.Nevertheless, the conference owes most to the papers preparedby busy people and to the attendance of the participants. If it hashelped any of us to see more clearly our role as handlers of theworld's information and has given us new insight and understandinginto the cooperative efforts needed in the future to carry out this role,it will have fulfilled its purpose.April 1968 Kathryn Luther HendersonChairman, Planning CommitteeTABLE OF CONTENTSPageFOREWORD vMAJOR TRENDS IN AMERICAN BOOK PUBLISHINGDan Lacy 1CURRENT TRENDS IN AMERICAN PUBLISHINGCharles Madison 16THE ECONOMICS OF PUBLISHINGRobert W. Frase 29THE PROSPECTIVE NEW COPYRIGHT LAWAbe A. Goldman 39THE ROLE OF COMPUTERSDaniel Melcher 49CURRENT TRENDS IN EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING-A PERSONAL VIEWRobert J. R. Follett 60A LIBRARIAN LOOKS AT AMERICAN PUBLISHINGEdwin Castagna 75BOOKSTORES: A MAIN DISTRIBUTION AGENCYFOR BOOKSLouis Epstein 89THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PRESSEmily Schossberger 95

Front matter including foreword and table of contents to Trends in American publishing; papers presented at an institute conducted by the University of Illinois Graduate School of Library Science, November 5-8, 1967

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