Professional books, still a foundational reference source for most working professionals, grew 1.1 percent to $13.9 billion in 2010, an initial step toward a full recovery. Media and publishing forecast firm Simba Information's latest report, Global Professional Publishing 2009-2010, details the resilience of professional books through the recession and the explosive adoption of electronic models.
After losing sales in 2009 due to contracted library budgets and decreased exports, professional book publishing, which includes the legal, medical, business, scientific and technical fields, has nearly regained its 2008 position. Although largely due to a recovering economy, new e-book strategies and products from large commercial publishers have helped libraries make the most of their budgets and shelf space.
Historically vilified by the scholarly publishing world, search giants, such as Google and Yahoo!, have proven to be a boon to the industry, as added exposure has increased book sales. The report finds publishers are especially excited about Google Books, which allows users to browse sample pages before purchasing the full text or designated sections.
Publishers have embraced a print-on-demand distribution model, which allows buyers to purchase a specific digest and have it shipped within 24 hours of placing the order. According to the report, partnerships with online distributors, such as Amazon, have helped make backlist, out-of-print and large print books readily available.
Global Professional Publishing 2009-2010 provides a comprehensive, analytical look at the overall landscape of the global market for legal, business, scientific, technical and medical information, breaking down each segment by books, journals, newsletters, directories, online services and abstracting & indexing. Company profiles include key players Reed Elsevier, John Wiley & Sons, Springer Science+Business, Wolters Kluwer and others.
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