2015 SSP 37th Annual Meeting
May 27 – 29, Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA
Registration Now Open
The New Big Picture: Connecting Diverse Perspectives
Publishers, societies, librarians, funders, authors and researchers have all observed our ecosystem evolving in response to changes brought about by new technology, government directives, budget challenges, and user preferences. At the 2015 SSP Annual Meeting, we will step back collectively to examine the ways in which our “big picture” is shifting.
Organizations of all shapes and sizes, regardless of discipline, mission, or products, are experimenting and innovating to develop solutions that will ensure a sustainable future. The meeting will focus on connecting these diverse perspectives so that we can share insights and experiences and learn from each other.
Keynote Speaker: Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Seriographs and Monocals: Rethinking Book Publishing in the Digital Age
Charles Watkinson
In the world of learned society publishing, academic books have traditionally been regarded as a bit of a backwater. However it is time to reexamine our assumptions about a business where the demands of digital scholarship are inspiring the creation of new formats, platforms, and business models. While inspired by advances in the journals arena, monograph publishers are creating unique solutions that suggest future directions for other publishing fields. New formats for mid-length argument are proving popular with authors and readers alike. Platform experimentation is being driven by author interest in integrating data with narrative and enabled by substantial investment capital. Demand-driven-acquisitions models for books are growing in influence leading to devastating effects on income for some and large margins for other players. At the same time, open access books are growing in number and serious exploration is afoot into the possibility of a producer-pays environment funded by academic institutions. This interactive presentation presents an overview of important changes in monograph publishing and explores their implications for innovation and impact across the landscape of scholarly communication.
Charles Watkinson is Associate University Librarian for Publishing at University of Michigan Libraries and Director of University of Michigan Press. Prior to moving to Michigan in 2014, Charles was Director of Purdue University Press and Head of Scholarly Publishing Services in Purdue Libraries for five years, and Director of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens for five years. He started in the book business working for Oxbow Books as a specialist bookseller and distributor in archaeology, classical, and medieval studies, holding positions in both the UK and USA. He has been a board member of the Association of American University Presses and the Society for Scholarly Publishing, and was an initiator of the Library Publishing Coalition.
Keynote: Thursday, May 28, 2015
The New Big Picture
A Discussion with Ken Auletta and the Society for Scholarly Publishing
Hosted by John Inglis, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
A conversation, in which audience members can participate, with one of America’s most informed and insightful commentators on the media business. The dialogue will range widely, touching on trends, technologies, companies, visionaries, and public attitudes and habits that are powerful drivers of change in today’s communication landscape. Ken Auletta has written “Annals of Communications” columns and profiles for The New Yorker magazine since 1992. He is the author of eleven books, including five national bestsellers, notably: Three Blind Mice: How the TV Networks Lost Their Way; The Highwaymen: Warriors of the Information Super Highway; World War 3.0: Microsoft and Its Enemies; and Googled, The End of the World As We Know It.
Ken Auletta has written “Annals of Communications” columns and profiles for The New Yorker magazine since 1992. He is the author of eleven books, including five national bestsellers: Three Blind Mice: How the TV Networks Lost Their Way; Greed And Glory On Wall Street: The Fall of The House of Lehman; The Highwaymen: Warriors of the Information Super Highway; World War 3.0: Microsoft and Its Enemies; and Googled, The End of the World As We Know It, which was published in November of 2009. His other books include: Backstory: Inside the Business of News; Media Man: Ted Turner’s Improbable Empire; The Streets Were Paved with Gold; and The Underclass.
Keynote Speaker: Friday, May 29, 2015
Reflections on Leadership and Success
Jennifer Lawton
Jennifer Lawton, executive and serial entrepreneur, will reflect on the factors that have led to her career success. From founding and running top tech companies to owning and managing an independent bookstore chain, Lawton has a wide base of experience from which to share advice and observations. In her most recent role, Lawton was at the vanguard of innovation and disruptive technology, as three-dimensional desktop printing company MakerBot rose to the fore of consumer 3-D printing. She leveraged her own life experience as a successful entrepreneur to help grow the company, market it, and establish retail outlets, making 3-D printing a reality for the consumer. As with any success story, there were challenges to be overcome, and it is from this journey that Lawton will share the lessons she learned along the way.
As its former president, Jennifer Lawton was instrumental in transforming MakerBot into the global leader in the desktop 3D printing industry. She started with MakerBot in 2011 and was responsible for the overall strategy and growth of the company, including strategic partnerships, product development, and retail. In addition to her work with MakerBot, she is a respected company builder, technologist, and advocate for fostering entrepreneurship.
In 1991, Lawton co-founded Net Daemons Associates (NDA), an information technology consulting firm. With Lawton as CEO, NDA was recognized on the 1998 Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing privately held U.S. companies, and on the Deloitte and Touche Fast 50 and Fast 500 lists for 1997 and 1998. In 1999, Net Daemons was acquired by Interliant Inc. (formerly Sage Networks), where Lawton served as a senior vice president. She later worked as an entrepreneur-in-residence with Softbank and Mobius Venture Capital.
In 2001, Lawton left the corporate world to become the owner of the independent bookstores Just Books and Just Books, Too, as well as Arcadia Café in Old Greenwich, Conn. After ten years running successful retail ventures, Jenny re-entered the business scene, serving as COO for Rockin’ Water and RAM Scientific, and SVP Operations for Mercury Solar Systems. She is currently a board member of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership.
Tracks:
- Marketing/Product Development
- Business Strategy
- Researcher/User Needs
- Future of Publishing
- Technology
- Open Access
Other Highlights:
- Joint SSP-NASIG meeting: Evolving Information Policies and Their Implications: A Conversation for Librarians and Publishers
- Pre-meeting Seminars: Numerous half-day seminars on May 27th offering in-depth discussions and practical advice to prep you for the concurrent sessions.
- Networking: Attendees will enjoy ample opportunities for meeting colleagues and sharing at evening receptions, interactive lunches and other events.
- Exhibitors’ Marketplace: Our popular exhibit hall provides a central area to learn about new products, programs, services and solutions.
NEW! Concurrent Speed Networking Sessions
Are you looking for an opportunity to meet other industry professionals? Then join us at the Annual Meeting for the first SSP Speed Networking Event! Attendees will engage in one-on-one conversations with up to 20 colleagues in five concurrent sessions. Sessions will be organized by job function and/or interest—editorial, sales/marketing, production, and management—but if you don’t like labels, a fifth “wild card” session will also be available! Bring your business cards, elevator pitch, and an open mind and join us on Friday for this excellent opportunity to make new connections in scholarly publishing.