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10 March 2010, London
ALPSP has published the Scholarly Book Publishing Practice Report, 
the findings of a survey of academic book publishers' policies and practices
authored by Laura Cox and John Cox.

Scholarly Book Publishing Practice is the first ALPSP survey undertaken to
establish current practices in scholarly book and e-book publishing, to
provide detailed analysis and statistics in this growing market.  This
report develops a picture of the market as it emerges and is a starting
point for further research into how publishers are treating this rapidly
developing arena.  A survey was conducted of 400 publishers, both commercial
and non-profit, consisting of ALPSP and other major association members.  A
response rate of over 60% was achieved including most major academic book
publishers.  

The publishers surveyed publish over 24,000 new titles each year. The
collective backlist comprises nearly 350,000 academic and scholarly titles,
covering reference, monographs, textbooks, conference reports, professional
handbooks and manuals, and research reports.  63.2% of publishers publish
e-books in one way or another, but they still account for a fairly small
proportion of total book sales, with the average across all publishers at
just 9.4%.

Findings of the report cover the following topics:

- The size and scope of scholarly book and e-book publishing
- Printing technologies
- Sales channels
- Digital file creation
- E-book functionality
- Services to libraries
- Licensing terms and conditions
- Pricing and business models
- E-book bundles and collections
- Perpetual access and preservation
- Authors' rights
- Securing publishing rights
- E-book revenue development
- Publishers concerns the e-book market

The full report provides a vast array of evidence about the current policies
and practices of scholarly and academic book publishers.  This report will
act as a starting point for further research in mapping the practices of
publishers as the e-book market continues to mature. It is hoped that it
will provide clarity on a complex area which involves man more variables and
permutations than is seen in the more homogenous online journal market.

For further information please go to:
<http://www.alpsp.org/ngen_public/default.asp?ID=201>
http://www.alpsp.org/ngen_public/default.asp?ID=201

A session on Scholarly Book Publishing Practice - the ALPSP survey findings
will be presented at the forthcoming ALPSP seminar:
 <http://www.alpsp.org/ngen_public/article.asp?aid=111846> The Future of
Academic Book Publishing, Thursday 18 March 2010,
British Institute of Radiology, 36 Portland Place, London W1N 4AT

Further information is available at:  <http://bit.ly/bVYXuk>
http://bit.ly/bVYXuk

For further information on this summary and the full report contact:

Nick Evans, Chief Operating Officer, ALPSP: [log in to unmask] 
Laura Cox, Frontline GMS Ltd:  <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[log in to unmask]

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Lesley Ogg
Senior Coordinator, Events & Information Systems
Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers
E:  <blocked::blocked::mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]; T: +44
(0)1245 260571; F: +44 (0)1245 260935;  <blocked::http://www.alpsp.org/>
www.alpsp.org 
 
ALPSP is a Company limited by guarantee and incorporated in England and
Wales Registration no: 4081634. Registered Office: 1-3 Ship Street,
Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 5DH UK

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