Summary Notes on Applied Information Science

Publishing and the Book Trade

Publishing

 It is the means by which information is made available to others by producing copies in the form
of a book or any other visual or audio record that is made to the public.
 It makes it possible to distribute information as well as preserve it for future generations.

General publishers

 Publish a wide range of subjects and do not restrict themselves to material or books aimed at a
particular market segment or age group.

Educational publishers

 Publish textbooks for school and university as well as material for continuing and adult
education

Scientific publishers

 Include study books and reference works. They are similar to textbooks

Specialist publishers

 Concentrate on a particular field of interest or subject field, for example gardening, cooking,
religion or sport

International or joint publications

 Publishers in various countries therefore tend to publish co-productions, which entails using the
same colour prints but with the text translated into different languages and printed separately.

Electronic publishing

 Are becoming more widespread as more and more titles are being published electronically

Journal publishing

 Are academic publications that are released at regular intervals
 Each edition contains original articles on the specific field catered for by the title published.

Popular magazine publishing

 Appear at regular intervals, usually weekly or monthly. Their content is determined by their
target market readership, and their articles present attractively designed layouts and
information that is easily understood by their readers.

, Newspaper publishing

 Are usually published daily or weekly, but some may be published at longer intervals, for
example fortnightly or monthly

Copyright

 The sole legal right, held for a certain number of years by the author, composer or originator of
a work
 A work refers to any original authorship in a material form and thus includes literary, artistic and
musical works, films, sound recordings, broadcasts
 Is protected by international agreements

Publishing in South Africa

Market size

 South African publishers are restricted by a small market that is further reduced by the
population’s division into many language groups.
 The South African publishing industry is aimed at the provision of educational textbooks for
schools.

Illiteracy

 To encourage literacy, it is essential to publish books for newly literate adults and for adult
readers with minimal reading skills

Cost

 Publishers are first and foremost business enterprises and must earn profits in order to survive.
 They face a small market and high rate of illiteracy in South Africa

The publishing business

 A publishing house has five departments- editorial, production, sales and marketing, publicity
and promotions and finance

Editorial

 Seeks to recruit, evaluate and prepare manuscripts for publication

Production

 Transforms the work into a physical publication in whatever form. It collaborates with the
editorial department regarding the physical appearance of the work
 The greater the issue, the lower the book price will be

Sales and marketing