December
22, 2003
Lower Textbook
Prices May Not Equal Lower Royalties
Literary Agent and
Author's Attorney Michael Lennie said the current push by students,
faculty and lawmakers for more affordable textbooks won't necessarily
affect author royalties. "Author royalties depend on three parameters:
royalty rate, sale price and unit sales," he said. "If there is a reduction
in royalty rate, a corresponding reduction in sales price, but an offsetting
increase in sales, the cumulative royalties will remain the same. But
to make this work, the reduced sales price would have to discourage
a sufficient number of resales of used books combined with pirated copies,
to make up the difference with volume."
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Lennie: Buyer
Resistance Late in Coming, But Not Unexpected
Literary Agent and
Author's Attorney Michael Lennie said the real issue regarding the current
push by students, faculty and lawmakers for more affordable textbooks
is what will the market tolerate? For the last 15 to 20 years, said
Lennie, publishers have been raising the price of textbooks with little
resistance from schools and colleges: "The buyer resistance is late
in coming, not unexpected. The current crop of major publishers, let
alone authors, will not have the controlling say on where the market
is headed. The market will go where the market will go." He advises
authors to pay attention to where the market is going regarding new
publishing concepts and new products, especially electronic products,
and try to be there first. "In doing so you will more than make up for
any lost royalties based on price point," said Lennie.
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Bill Would Turn
Textbook Choice Over To Task Force
The Payson Roundup
(Payson, AZ) reports that a bill to be introduced in the state legislature
in January would take away local school districts' right to choose their
own textbooks. Instead, a 10-member task force would choose for school
districts across the entire state. The bill is being introduced by Senator
Robert Blendu. If you would like to sound off on this issue, write a
column and send it to Kim Pawlak, Editor at [email protected]
Include your name, title, college or university affiliation (if applicable),
phone and email address.
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Textbook Choice
Turned Over to Administrators
The Baptist Standard
(Pineville, LA) reports that Louisiana College trustees have approved
a new policy that requires approval of faculty-selected textbooks for
classes by the College's department chairs and the vice president of
academic affairs. Opponents of the new policy say it is not only infeasible
to get approval for all learning materials used by all faculty for all
classes, but the policy will also damage the college's reputation, devalue
degree programs and hinder recruitment and fundraising efforts, reports
the paper. If you would like to sound off on this issue, write a column
and send it to Kim Pawlak, Editor at [email protected]
Include your name, title, college or university affiliation (if applicable),
phone and email address.
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Symposium Papers
To Be Published Online
Cold Spring Harbor
Laboratory Press and Atypon Systems have partnered to bring the Laboratory's
biology series, a set of volumes containing papers delivered at the
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Symposia held each June at the Laboratory,
online for the first time. Atyphon will provide its Literatum software
and hosting service as the underlying publishing platform for the Symposia's
online site.
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Membership in
TAA continues to grow
As of the end of
2003 membership in TAA stands at 1279. The continued addition of new
members results in large part from the active workshop program sponsored
by TAA, the updated, active web site, news alerts, and TAA efforts to
expand services to members. Remember gift memberships are available.
If you know a colleague who you feel could benefit from membership in
TAA, you may send them a gift membership in 2004 for only $15. Contact
TAA at [email protected]
for more information.
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TAA Calls For
Nominations For TAA Leadership
TAA is calling for
nominations for three positions on its governing council, vice president,
treasurer, and two council positions. The two-year terms start in June
2004. Officers and council members meet twice a year (in January and
at the annual convention), and officers meet via monthly telephone conferences.
Members may nominate themselves or any other member for the open positions.
The deadline for complete nominations (including a written biographical
statement and a written position statement) is February 1, 2004. Nominations
can be made to the TAA office: (727) 563-0020 or [email protected]
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