Five major changes that combined, in the same way that one domino falling triggers another, have substantively changed the face of textbook publishing. The issue is far more complex than what I write here, but I see these changes as pivotally impacting the industry over the past few years.
How I met my first textbook acquisitions editor
I was introduced to my first acquisitions editor through the recommendation of a colleague.
At the time, our state had added a new course in infection control to our curriculum and none of the instructors had been able to nd an acceptable book that included the necessary content for teach- ing infection control to health care providers. Since I had some experience in this area, I compiled my notes and handouts into a self-published forty-eight-page booklet, which I provided to my students at no cost. A colleague at another college asked if I would make this booklet available for his classes, so I contracted with a local printer to produce the booklets and sold them to the college bookstore.