ABSTRACT
College-textbook sales are estimated to have totaled $1.22 billion in 1983, representing the third-largest publishing component in the book industry after trade and professional. A college textbook is generally denned in the industry as one that is written and produced primarily for use by students enrolled in college-and university-level courses. Most college textbooks are conceived and written by college professors who usually have extensive experience in teaching the specific course for which the book is designed. The acquisitions editor and/or marketing manager presents the book, along with other new books on the list, to the college-textbook sales representatives at a national sales meeting. Although the organization of a college-textbook department varies considerably among publishers, most are supervised by a general manager who has responsibility for both the editorial and the marketing functions. Some colleges, particularly those in the private sector, are in financial trouble; enrollment declines, inflation, and energy woes put some in imminent danger of having to close.
