Personalized editions of a book about the future of publishing helped show off STL Distribution North America's (STLD) new print-on-demand (POD) service.

Guests at the reception for the launch of the new program, at the wholesaler’s center in Elizabethton, Tenn., last week, were presented with a copy of a book detailing new print-technology opportunities featuring a photo of themselves snapped on their arrival.

Through the POD partnership with technology provider Snowfall Press and printer Dickinson Press, STLD can print and ship an individual copy of an out-of-print book the same day, for orders received by 1 p.m.

STLD President Glenn Bailey (pictured on the right) has called the new service a game changer. “Our ability to virtually carry backlist, slow-selling, long-tail and out-of-print inventory—not just better-selling titles—will enable resellers to offer thousands of additional titles,” he said.

“Publishers will be able to grow their incremental revenue, end ‘out of stock’ books by immediately printing whatever is ordered, allow niche titles to be readily available and enable same-day turn-around of orders.”

The program will also help micro-, small- and medium-sized publishers to gain access to major outlets like Amazon and Barnes & Noble databases in addition to Christian retail stores, Bailey said.

Jeff Brewer (pictured on the left), vice president and general manager of systems company GBR, attended the event. STL employed a few of GBR's machines in building the book-printing solution.

Jeff Gerke, president of Marcher Lord Press, said: “I have been looking for a seamless way to print books in very low numbers and get them to the broadest number of sales channels possible. The benefits offered by this alliance to small, growing publishers are exactly what my company needs.” 

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