I started Marble Hill Publishers in 2020, after working for more than 50 years in publishing, because it is what I love. I believe that what publishers do truly matters, and it’s vital we continue to give a voice to authors and their ideas.
When it came time to discuss how Marble Hill would publish My Back Pages, an industry-focused essential read written by fellow publishing veteran Richard Charkin, we agreed without hesitation that Ingram Content Group’s Print-on-Demand (POD) service was the best option.
Simply put, Ingram’s POD service, linked to its global distribution network, allows us to make print decisions for Marble Hill almost risk free. For example, on publication day for My Back Pages (the start of the London Book Fair, 2023) not only did we have enough stock to cover our estimated sales during the fair, but we were delighted to learn that we were fulfilling excellent orders in the U.K., U.S., Australia, and other countries around the world, and all within days of publication.
Unlike conventional printing and distribution, we did not have to ship a single physical copy anywhere overseas. Ingram is leading the way in what Charkin and I believe will become the new model of the book trade—the synchronizing of physical production of books to their localized distribution in countries everywhere.
Immediate and sustainable
Why does this matter? We operate in a global community. The barriers of distance have been flattened and simultaneity of availability is essential. Customers want their orders satisfied immediately, and as publishers we must respond. Then, there is the issue of sustainability. Printing on demand and a local supply helps reduce our carbon footprint, and use of energy and natural resources.
The benefits of POD are real, and not just for small publishers like Marble Hill. Our world is being reset; new ways of working will replace the old. The value of what we as publishers do will remain but we must adapt to ensure that this stays true. Ingram, in our view, is setting the standards in this very important revolution.
Francis Hill is the founder of Marble Hill Publishers.
