According to bibliographic data provider Bowker, last year the number of print-on-demand titles exceeded the number of traditionally-published titles for the first time ever. If anyone ever doubted that PoD was taking over, the numbers are in:
US title output in 2008 decreased by 3.2%, with 275,232 new titles and editions, down from the 284,370 titles that were published in 2007. By contrast Bowker projects that 285,394 'on demand' books were produced last year, a 132% increase over last year's final total of 123,276 titles. It is the second consecutive year of triple-digit growth in this sector, driven by the huge rise in self-publishing.
With advances in eBook technology and print-on-demand availability and ease of use (see the previous two stories), this trend can only continue.