The Association of Learning and Professional Society Publishing (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 seen to be 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 percent was achieved.
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. More than 63 percent 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 percent.
The full report provides a vast array of evidence about the current policies and practices of scholarly and academic book publishers. It is expected to 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.
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