TODAY'S NEWS

Number of On-demand Titles Topped Traditional Books in 2008
by Jim Milliot
U.S. book production rose and fell in 2008, according to preliminary statistics released this morning by Bowker. The number of new and revised titles produced by traditional production methods fell 3% in 2008, to 275,232, but the number of on-demand and short run titles soared 132%, to 285,394. The on-demand and short run segment is the method typically used by self-publishers as well as online publishers. With the decline in the number of traditional books released last year and the jump in on-demand, the number of on-demand titles topped those of traditional books for the first time. Taken together, total output rose 38%, to 560,626 titles. Read on »

Hyperion to Unveil Kernl
By Lynn Andriani
Hyperion is joining the online publishing world with its launch of Kernl, an “e-imprint” it will use to disseminate short packages of text combined with video and interactive components. The first Kernl, on job hunting, will debut tomorrow on Good Morning America (Hyperion’s sister company under ABC). Read on »

Captain of Hijacked Maersk Alabama Close to Major Book Deal By Rachel Deahl
It looks as though Captain Richard Phillips's book deal is imminent. The leader of the Maersk Alabama, who became a media sensation last month after he sacrficed himself to Somali pirates to save his crew (and was later rescued by U.S. forces), is at the center of a bidding war. Read on »

Mobifusion, Encyclopaedia Britannica Release iPhone Apps
By Calvin Reid
In partnership with Encyclopaedia Britannica, mobile software developer Mobifusion has released several new content applications for the iPhone on its m-publishing mobile content platform. The new apps include Britannica Mobile, Britannica Today, Britannica Trivia Challenge and Britannica World Traveler and offer iPhone users a variety of enhanced ways to access to EB content on the device. Read on »

Alibris Starts Textbook Buyback Program
Looking to build its inventory of textbooks, Alibris has started a buyback services for students. Under the program, students go to the Alibris Web site and plug in the ISBNs for texts and related educational materials they are looking to sell. Alibris will provide a quote and if students like the price, they send the books to the company who will pay shipping charges. Alibris will send payment within five days of receiving the books. Alibris has been selling textbooks through its site for several years and the company sees the buyback program as “closing the buyer-seller loop.”

Blogs

MORE STORIES

Comings and Goings
If you've been laid off or recently left your job and would like to pass along your contact information to others in the business, send details to pwletters@reedbusiness.com. Please include your full name and former title/company.

Barb Burg, most recently senior v-p and executive director of publicity at Bantam Dell, has created her own full service book publicity firm, barb burg, ink. Burg’s services will include publicity and public relations, media training, media placement, publishing strategy and brand management. Burg, who's been in book publishing for 24 years, can be reached at barb@barbburg.com, 914-591-3390, at 144 Trails End, Irvington, New York 10533, and on the web at www.barbburg.com.

You can find a full list of all those who have appeared in Comings and Goings here.

The PW Morning Report
Amazon’s Textbook Play; Steinbeck Appeal Rejected; Kindle Self-Publishing; Save the New England Review. Read on »

AUTHORS ON THE AIR

Authors on the Air: Hungry Monkey; Causing a Scene; Fingerprints of God
This morning, The Early Show hosted food writer Matthew Amster-Burton, author of Hungry Monkey: A Food-Loving Father's Quest to Raise an Adventurous Eater (Houghton Mifflin, 978-0151013241, $23). Read on »

PICTURE OF THE DAY

'Caterpillar' Turns 40
Eric Carle recently visited Every Picture Tells a Story in Santa Monica, Calif., in celebration of the 40th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Philomel); very hungry fans got to nibble on the caterpillar star of his celebratory cake. Read on »

PW VIRTUAL EDITION

To access the latest issue of Publishers Weekly no matter where you are, be sure to take a look at PW's Virtual Edition -- available online anytime. If you're not already a subscriber, take a look at a sample issue here.