PRINTING United Transitioning to a Comprehensive Online Experience in 2020 (piworld.com)

VIVA, Virginia’s academic library consortium, has signed an agreement with KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. (KGL), the industry leader of transformative content solutions, to provide publishing services for its Open Grant program. This innovative partnership ensures the production of high-quality grant-supported open textbooks, open monographs, and other Open Educational Resources (OER) for use in Virginia higher education institutions. The VIVA consortium is comprised of 71 nonprofit higher education institutions and includes both public and private colleges and research universities from across Virginia. Since 2016, VIVA’s Open and Affordable Course Content Initiative has supported sustainable educational resource and access models that enable equitable and inclusive learning, give faculty control over instructional materials, and lower the costs of higher education for Virginia students. To support the creation of open monographs and OER, KGL will provide VIVA with a host of content solutions, including interior and cover design, typesetting, EPUB conversion, artwork/graphics processing, copyediting, proofreading, indexing, accessibility remediation and testing, research and permissions clearance and management, animations, project management, other related services, and print on demand through sister company, Sheridan. With this agreement, individual member institutions also have the opportunity to contract directly with KGL to support their own publications.

As we close in on two full years of the pandemic, lockdowns, Zoom meetings, and lives lived through screens, experts are finding that digital fatigue has firmly set in. Everyone is looking to make connections that don’t involve the light of a computer, phone, or tablet. Direct mail — a brand’s old and trusted friend — is one of the answers. “Businesses are realizing with digital fatigue that direct mail can play a critical role of getting attention,” notes Jeff Heyman, VP of product development and e-commerce for FedEx Office. “Direct mail is an integral part of the most successful marketing strategies that combine digital and physical communication.” He continues, “Customers are longing for connection after being home for so long and direct mail gives that to them. It allows businesses to communicate that they are open for business, and how they have adapted their business throughout the pandemic.”

Allen Press, Inc. is pleased to announce that Terry Leatherman has been promoted to Manager of Association Management Services. Leatherman joined Allen Press in February 2017 as an Association Manager. In his new role, Leatherman will oversee and expand the Allen Press Association Management division, which provides membership management, strategic consultation, database administration, customer service and annual meeting coordination to non-profit societies and associations. “Terry’s exemplary work with our clients and executive management experience make him a terrific fit for this position,” said Maria Preston-Cargill, Allen Press Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “He’s a great asset to our organization and the clients we represent, and we are thrilled to have him leading our team going forward.” Click Read More below for additional detail.