IPG News

The Latest | The Archive

"Finding its niche"
—Chicago Sun-Times, October 28, 2007
"Back in 1973, Linda and Curt Matthews were English teachers frustrated by the uncertainty of finding a teaching position at the college level. So they moved on, and one might say the couple found an even more challenging and frustrating alternate career—book publishing."
Read more

"Deeper Understanding"
Miraida Morales on Spanish Language Books
—Shelf Awareness, July 11, 2007
"How can a bookseller recommend works in translation if they are not available? How many publishing houses have editors who are fluent in another language other than English? How many are world-conscious, read a foreign newspaper a week, read works in translation, read foreign media? How many spend considerable time scouting bestseller lists abroad, or spend time making contacts with foreign literary agents, or their own editorial counterparts abroad?

Miraida Morales, Spanish Language sales representative for Independent Publishers Group, asks great questions. She posed the previous batch to me a couple of years ago, in response to a piece I wrote for Words Without Borders. She continues to ask questions, but this week I get to turn the tables on her."
Read more

"One Man's Niche Is Another Man's Treasure"
The improbable success of Chicago Review Press, Inc.
—Chicago Reader, June 1, 2007
"BOOK DISTRIBUTION IS a difficult business. Distributors compete fiercely to sign the best and most lucrative of the independent presses, which typically take only one-year contracts. Warehouses are complex to manage, and profit margins are so thin—generally under 10 percent—that 'one mistake can be fatal,' says Jim Milliot, the business and news director at Publishers Weekly. Yet since 1987 IPG has doubled its sales every three years or so. . . ."
Read more

"A Killer Bestseller"
Don't blow it when good fortune comes your way
by Curt Matthews
—Publishers Weekly, February 19, 2007
Curt Matthews, CEO of Chicago Review Press Inc. and Independent Publishers Group (IPG) discusses the benefits and pitfalls of handling a bestselling title, such as The Covenant with Black America.

"The top buyers at the big chains are notoriously tough gatekeepers. They hold the key to making a book a bestseller. When they grant you a favor, the tendency is to go wild with glee. Sure, it's something to celebrate—but don't go too crazy. Because without judicious planning, an unexpected bestseller can be devastating."
Read more

Conferences

Independent Publishers Group will be in attendance or represented at these upcoming conferences.

Conference	Dates	Location	Booth
International Reading Association (IRA)	May 4–5	Atlanta, GA	TBA
BookExpo America (BEA)	May 30-Jun 1	Los Angeles, CA	925
Special Libraries Association (SLA)	Jun 15-18	Seattle, WA	TBA
American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE)	Jun 22-25	Pittsburgh, PA	TBA
American Library Association (ALA)	Jun 27-Jul 1	Anaheim, CA	TBA
Frankfurt Book Fair	Oct 15-19	Frankfurt, Germany	TBA
American Academy of Religion (AAR)	Nov 1-3	Chicago, IL	TBA
African Studies Association (ASA)	Nov 13-16	Chicago, IL	TBA
Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT)	Nov 14-16	Houston, TX	TBA
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)	Nov 20-23	San Antonio, TX	TBA
Modern Language Association (MLA)	Dec 27-30	San Francisco, CA	TBA

Production Designer

Independent Publishers Group is seeking a full-time production designer. Primary responsibilities will include layout/design and proofreading and altering copy. Other responsibilities include communicating with client publishers, record processing and tracking, and tasks related to all aspects of seasonal catalog production. The ideal candidate must be highly-motivated, creative, and forward-thinking, must have excellent communication and organizational skills, and must be able to manage several tasks simultaneously.

Requirements:

• Experience and proficiency in Quark Xpress including creating and managing templates, style sheets, and requests for PDF, .PS, EPS files, and oversized vector art for signage
• Experience and proficiency in Adobe Photoshop including image manipulation, scanning and cleaning of images, working with JPG, TIF, PDF, and EPS files which may require transparency
• Design experience (3 years) with solid understanding of printing processes and typography and the ability to work within and reinforce corporate identity.
• Must be able to generate and mockup design concepts for catalog covers, advertisements, and other sales materials as needed
• Editorial or proofreading experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel

Send resume, references, and cover letter to Molly Lyons, Production Manager, Independent Publishers Group, 814 N. Franklin St., Chicago, IL 60610 or mlyons@ipgbook.com. Please be prepared to send samples of your work if requested after resume submission.

Spanish-language Sales Representative

Independent Publishers Group is seeking a full-time Spanish-language sales representative to continue to grow our very robust presence in the market. This individual’s primary responsibilities will include working closely with wholesalers, distributors, retailers, and rep groups serving this market to ensure maximum exposure of product and increased sales. Additional responsibilities include writing Spanish and English copy for catalogs and working closely with client publishers to maximize marketability of their products. English and Spanish communication skills are a must. The ideal candidate will have several years of sales experience, very strong customer service skills, very strong English and Spanish writing skills, and be able to manage multiple projects efficiently. Please send or email your resume and cover letter to Jeff Tegge, Vice President of Sales, Independent Publishers Group, 814 N. Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610 or jtegge@ipgbook.com.

IPG is always looking for qualified applicants for full-time internships. The deadline for applications for participation in our Summer internship program is June 1. Please send resumés and cover letters via email to John McGlothlin.