Xlibris: Difference between revisions
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According to Xlibris's own figures, the average book printed by Xlibris sells only 150 copies, out of which 100 are sold to the authors themselves (meaning they have to pay twice for publication), while the remaining 50 copies are the only ones sold directly to the book-buying public. <ref name=Interview with Vice President of Finance for Xlibris>{{cite web |
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Revision as of 19:12, 8 April 2008
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| File:Xlibris withbg.jpg | |
| Company type | Publishing services provider |
|---|---|
| Industry | Printing |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Founder | John Feldcamp |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Global |
| Website | http://www.xlibris.com/ |
Xlibris is a Philadelphia-based vanity press and on-demand printing services provider founded in 1997.[1] Since 2000, it is 49% owned by Random House.[2] According to the New York Times, it is the foremost on-demand publisher.[2] The founder and chief executive is John Feldcamp.[3]
According to Xlibris's own figures, the average book printed by Xlibris sells only 150 copies, out of which 100 are sold to the authors themselves (meaning they have to pay twice for publication), while the remaining 50 copies are the only ones sold directly to the book-buying public. Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
Xlibris publishes hardback paper books, which have the overall appearance of a textbook and cost around $20.[2] As of 2000, it also published e-books in several formats.[3] Authors do not relinquish their rights, and the company will keep books in print "forever".[3] It describes itself as a publishing services provider rather than a publisher, and considers a book's author its publisher.[1] Beginning in 2000, the company expanded its operations globally, opening full-service offices in Europe and Japan.[3]
Writer D.T. Max found in 2000 that Xlibris offered 1700 titles, whose quality he found better than its competitors: "It wasn't until I got to Xlibris that I found something to read." Sampling two titles, one of which had won an award in 1996, Max concluded that Xlibris "confirms that books worth reading do not always find a way into print." At the same time, Max was unable to select the titles using the Xlibris website, and phoned a company executive for a recommendation.[2]
Roland LaPlante, writing in Harper's Magazine, noted in 2001 that Xlibris's predicted future output of 100,000 titles a year would equal the number of all books published in the United States in 1999, and worried these "mostly dubious" works would "affect American publishing in every worst way and obliterate what remains of a genuine book culture."[4] The company countered that "everyone has a story to tell" and its output preserved the "richness of humanity."[4]
The name is a derivation of the Latin term ex libris which means "from the library of".[1]
Science fiction author Piers Anthony was an early supporter of print-on-demand, and invested in Xlibris[5], as well as publishing books through the company. Anthony differentiates Xlibris from "notorious vanity publishing" because it "enables any writer to publish for a nominal fee", rather than being "taken for huge amounts".[6] The company says that it does not require authors to buy "box loads of books", and unlike vanity presses, will help the author sell books indefinitely.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "FAQ: About Xlibris". Xlibris.com. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
- ^ a b c d D. T. Max (July 16 2000). "No More Rejections". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c d M.J. Rose (October 31 2000). "Xlibris Expands Globally". WIRED. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Carol Alabaster (2002). Developing an outstanding core collection: a guide for libraries. ALA Editions. ISBN 0838908195.
- ^ "Interview with Piers Anthony". SFFWorld.com. 2000-05-06. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
- ^ Piers Anthony (2002). DoOon Mode. Macmillan. ISBN 0812575423.