The rapidly changing book industry -- and how publishers and retailers are currently handling, and will in the future handle, change -- from digital data advances to e-books was the main focus of the Book Industry Study Group's (BISG) annual meeting, held in New York City on Friday, September 28.

BISG Executive Director Len Vlahos told industry professionals at the meeting that "BISG represents the 360 degree view" of the industry. "Everyone has a unique perspective ... it's enough to make your head spin. But through it all, through all that tumult, from every vantage point, you still need to produce, identify, distribute, and sell your product," he said, adding that BISG's focus remains "to create a more informed, empowered, and efficient book industry."

Tara Catogge, senior vice president of inbound supply chain for ReaderLink Distribution Services, reviewed some of the highlights from BookStats 2012: An Annual Comprehensive Study of the US Publishing Industry, a joint reporting venture between the Association of American Publishers and BISG. BookStats' approach for collecting and displaying data can be represented within the sides of a three-dimensional cube, she said, with the sides representing format (print or digitized), category, and channel.

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