Unit 2 Overview, Learning Goals and Glossary

Overview: Planning & Building a Publishing Program

In this unit, our goal is to introduce the people and processes involved in publishing, so that you can consider how best to build a program that meets your local needs, and leverages your local expertise and capacity.

Learning Goals

• Define publishing, projects and programs, and how projects can lead to programs
• Identify the range of roles in publishing and begin to appreciate the expertise different people bring to the process
• Analyze what your institution's open textbook imprint may be, if you don't already have one
• Estimate the resources available for building your publishing program

Glossary

• Imprint: Publisher's name and identity. At its best, an imprint functions as a hallmark of consistency, or a brand.
• Library Publishing: The practice of an academic library providing publishing services.
• Project: A single textbook project that has a clear end goal. Many ad hoc projects begin by faculty author inquiry, and a willingness to help. Although it's "just one" project, it's still publishing! 
• Program: Enterprise with an undetermined end date, longer-term ambitions, and outcomes that are expansive and often include intangible benefits for an organization. There is probably more than one project in the publishing pipeline.
• Publishing: The process of making informational content (like open textbooks) available to users (like students and faculty).
• Publisher: An organization that makes informational content available to users. Traditionally, it’s the entity responsible for managing all aspects of a book’s production, such as project management, editing, design and production services, as well as marketing, promotion and distribution.
• Service: Helpful activity performed in support of publishing, such as project management, editing, design, and platform management. A variety of services may be supplied for a library publishing project or a program.