Comments on: The Price of Books and Biblical Scholarship http://www.sakeoftruth.com/2009/08/the-price-of-books-and-biblical-scholarship/ Biblical Studies, Exegesis, Theology, etc. by Josh Mann Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:58:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: mike http://www.sakeoftruth.com/2009/08/the-price-of-books-and-biblical-scholarship/comment-page-1/#comment-164 mike Sat, 29 Aug 2009 03:35:13 +0000 http://www.sakeoftruth.com/?p=449#comment-164 ah, josh, i feel you. most of the books i need for studying my primary interests just happen to be BZAW, clothbound hardcovers. i need an allowance ah, josh, i feel you. most of the books i need for studying my primary interests just happen to be BZAW, clothbound hardcovers. i need an allowance

]]> By: Qohelet http://www.sakeoftruth.com/2009/08/the-price-of-books-and-biblical-scholarship/comment-page-1/#comment-163 Qohelet Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:48:07 +0000 http://www.sakeoftruth.com/?p=449#comment-163 Academic writers should boycott academic presses that charge exorbitant prices, ensuring that no one would read their works. I know that there is an allure to being published by such academic presses, but I think it's outweighed by the negatives. And since some of the publishers like Oxford are using POD, authors should look for other POD shops that give better pricing. Academic writers should boycott academic presses that charge exorbitant prices, ensuring that no one would read their works. I know that there is an allure to being published by such academic presses, but I think it’s outweighed by the negatives. And since some of the publishers like Oxford are using POD, authors should look for other POD shops that give better pricing.

]]> By: » book pricing » “shields-up” http://www.sakeoftruth.com/2009/08/the-price-of-books-and-biblical-scholarship/comment-page-1/#comment-162 » book pricing » “shields-up” Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:40:23 +0000 http://www.sakeoftruth.com/?p=449#comment-162 [...] have been a number of posts recently lamenting the ridiculously excessive pricing of some books from certain [...] [...] have been a number of posts recently lamenting the ridiculously excessive pricing of some books from certain [...]

]]> By: Henry Neufeld http://www.sakeoftruth.com/2009/08/the-price-of-books-and-biblical-scholarship/comment-page-1/#comment-161 Henry Neufeld Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:59:31 +0000 http://www.sakeoftruth.com/?p=449#comment-161 As a publisher myself, albeit a small one, I would note that print-on-demand technology is getting better. I currently publish a book that is hardcover with a dust jacket that is POD. As the technology advances the expense per copy of POD drops and the inventory advantages are obvious. I would welcome more POD used for producing limited market books which could be more reasonably priced. As a publisher myself, albeit a small one, I would note that print-on-demand technology is getting better. I currently publish a book that is hardcover with a dust jacket that is POD. As the technology advances the expense per copy of POD drops and the inventory advantages are obvious. I would welcome more POD used for producing limited market books which could be more reasonably priced.

]]> By: Josh Mann http://www.sakeoftruth.com/2009/08/the-price-of-books-and-biblical-scholarship/comment-page-1/#comment-160 Josh Mann Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:33:17 +0000 http://www.sakeoftruth.com/?p=449#comment-160 Even in the event that a publisher jacks up prices for the library market, it must still affect the student and scholar as libraries must use more precious funds per book. If library budgets are shrinking, too, then that means less titles. And at smaller institutions (like mine), the libraries are already stretching the dollar! Even in the event that a publisher jacks up prices for the library market, it must still affect the student and scholar as libraries must use more precious funds per book. If library budgets are shrinking, too, then that means less titles. And at smaller institutions (like mine), the libraries are already stretching the dollar!

]]> By: Josh Mann http://www.sakeoftruth.com/2009/08/the-price-of-books-and-biblical-scholarship/comment-page-1/#comment-159 Josh Mann Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:21:55 +0000 http://www.sakeoftruth.com/?p=449#comment-159 For sure, but I would think that printing on demand with cheaper covers/bindings wouldn't necessitate quite the percentage of increase in price! For sure, but I would think that printing on demand with cheaper covers/bindings wouldn’t necessitate quite the percentage of increase in price!

]]> By: Jim http://www.sakeoftruth.com/2009/08/the-price-of-books-and-biblical-scholarship/comment-page-1/#comment-158 Jim Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:07:49 +0000 http://www.sakeoftruth.com/?p=449#comment-158 steve that generalization is just rubbish. it may sometimes be true- but there are frequently very excellent things done for a popular audience and loads of crap, yes pure crap, that's passed off as 'meaningful' only because people don't want to admit they dont understand nonsense. steve that generalization is just rubbish. it may sometimes be true- but there are frequently very excellent things done for a popular audience and loads of crap, yes pure crap, that’s passed off as ‘meaningful’ only because people don’t want to admit they dont understand nonsense.

]]> By: Steve Rives http://www.sakeoftruth.com/2009/08/the-price-of-books-and-biblical-scholarship/comment-page-1/#comment-157 Steve Rives Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:58:40 +0000 http://www.sakeoftruth.com/?p=449#comment-157 Nobody wants good books. Low demand. Which reminds me: Nobody wants the truth. Low demand. I have a little dictum that seems to hold: If it is popular, it is probably not meaningful. If it is meaningful, it is probably not popular. It works this way: If you see a large crowd gathered around something, they probably have amassed themselves to something that is flashy, charismatic and false. Like a golden calf or something. Nobody wants good books. Low demand.

Which reminds me: Nobody wants the truth. Low demand. I have a little dictum that seems to hold: If it is popular, it is probably not meaningful. If it is meaningful, it is probably not popular.

It works this way: If you see a large crowd gathered around something, they probably have amassed themselves to something that is flashy, charismatic and false. Like a golden calf or something.

]]> By: John Mark Harris http://www.sakeoftruth.com/2009/08/the-price-of-books-and-biblical-scholarship/comment-page-1/#comment-156 John Mark Harris Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:43:38 +0000 http://www.sakeoftruth.com/?p=449#comment-156 Fewer sales = higher prices. If they'd sell 1M copies it'd be $14.99. And good luck getting it via accordance ;-) Fewer sales = higher prices. If they’d sell 1M copies it’d be $14.99. And good luck getting it via accordance ;-)

]]> By: James http://www.sakeoftruth.com/2009/08/the-price-of-books-and-biblical-scholarship/comment-page-1/#comment-155 James Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:38:48 +0000 http://www.sakeoftruth.com/?p=449#comment-155 Josh, As the economy and the book market shrink, publishers are taking various approaches. Some, such as Brill, de Gruyter, Oxford, and a few others, are pricing their books for the library market, which means high prices. Others, such as Eisenbrauns, are continuing to price the books for the average scholar. One approach hopes to make a profit on low volume, higher prices. The other model is based on a higher volume, lower price per piece approach. At Eisenbrauns, we are scholars selling to scholars, so we prefer to have a lower profit per piece and get the books into the hands of people who need them. Obviously, we are biased, but we think our model is better : ) Another important difference is that Eisenbrauns is privately owned, so we don't have to show a certain profit margin every year; we just have to cover the payroll and expenses... James Josh,

As the economy and the book market shrink, publishers are taking various approaches. Some, such as Brill, de Gruyter, Oxford, and a few others, are pricing their books for the library market, which means high prices. Others, such as Eisenbrauns, are continuing to price the books for the average scholar. One approach hopes to make a profit on low volume, higher prices. The other model is based on a higher volume, lower price per piece approach.

At Eisenbrauns, we are scholars selling to scholars, so we prefer to have a lower profit per piece and get the books into the hands of people who need them. Obviously, we are biased, but we think our model is better : ) Another important difference is that Eisenbrauns is privately owned, so we don’t have to show a certain profit margin every year; we just have to cover the payroll and expenses…

James

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