Books as Technology: What do you need to create a mass produced book? 1. Language: a common set of meanings 2. Writing: from pictographs to alphabet 3.. Material:Paper (Egypt, c B.C.) Ink (Egypt, c B.C.) Spine: (Rome, c. 4th century) Printing: block printing (China, c. seventh century Movable type: (Gutenberg, 1453)

Books in the New World First printing press: Mexico City, 1539 First printing press in the British colonies: Harvard Press, 1630s First book: The Whole Book of Psalms, 1640 Common Sense, book/pamphlet written by Thomas Paine presents public argument for independence Many of the Founding Fathers were connected to printing, especially Sam Adams

Books in the New World Benjamin Franklin imports and reprints in 1744 the first novel widely distributed novel in the colonies: Pamela: or, Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson

Books and Technology: 1800s 1. Steam-powered presses (1830s) 2. Paperback books (1860s) 3. Linotype (1880s): machine to set “hot” type 4. Offset lithography (photoengraving, 1878): printing from a photographic plate that allowed for greater ease in reproducing pictures and photographs

Books and Content: 1800s 1. McGuffey Readers: Used in to teach literacy since the 1830s 2. The serious American novel (1850s): Hawthorne, Melville 3. Dime novels (Horatio Alger stories : the “rags-to-riches” tales, 1860s) 4. Formation of family-owned publishing houses such as Lippencott (1792) and Harper Brothers (1817)

Books: 20th Century 1. Continued development of paperback books: Reprint of hard cover books and classics. 2. The book club: Subscription service for book publishers and consumers. 3. Growth in the mass market: trade books the “managed” or packaged book media tie-ins 4.Conglomeration: concentration and synergy and the end of the great publishing “houses”

Book Categories 1.Trade (hardcover and paperback) 2.Mass Market Paperback 3.Book Clubs (hardcover and paperback) 4.Mail Order Books 5.Religious Publishing Bibles Inspirational 6.Professional Publishing Business Law Medical Technical, Scientific, Other 7.University Presses 8.ELHI 9.College

Channels of Distribution 1.General Retailers 2.College Stores 3.Libraries and Institutions 4.Schools (ELHI) 5.Direct to consumers 6.Wholesalers and Jobbers

Books: Structure of the Industry President Marketing Production Editor-in-Chief Business Manager

Books: Point of Sale 1. Retail bookstores chains independents mega-stores 2. Books clubs/mail order 3. Internet 4. Variety stores (e.g., drugstores, discount stores)

Books: Trends 1. Influences of television and film: tie- ins and celebrity endorsement (Oprah Book Club) 2. Blockbusters: Fewer books generate more revenue 3. Books-on-tape 4.Preservation: Saving old books and keeping books in print 5.E-Books ????