Paper shortages, printer closures creating delays for academic presses

As printing companies continue to shut down, university presses are struggling with unpredictable schedules and publishing delays, reports Lindsay McKenzie. The author highlights how several university presses have managed delays in order to meet deadlines as independent printers either consolidate or shut down, and argues that recent closures might have been a case of market overcorrection. In addition, pulp prices increased at the same time as 2018 witnessed exceptional demand for some titles, leading to further backlogs. “Reports of the death of the book, it seems, have been greatly exaggerated,” remarked Gregory Britton, Editorial Director of the Johns Hopkins University Press. Inside Higher Ed (International)