The technology which now lets us print individual books in response to individual orders - print on demand - is a real breakthrough and one we recognised would be of value to the New Naturalist series.

Collectors will doubtless continue to seek out first editions, but a print on demand copy will fill gaps or provide a spare edition to read and enjoy. Subject enthusiasts who want specific books for their content can finally have a copy at the standard hardback price. The full set also looks extremely impressive on our bookshelves here at Collins and would make a spectacular personal library, not to mention a useful resource for academic institutions. 

We have been careful to ensure quality is of the upmost standard and we're proud to have created the first ever hand-crafted, hardback, full-colour, print on demand series, working closely with Martins the Printers. This is an historic moment in publishing!

KEY STAGES OF MANUFACTURE

While digital printers mean we can provide high quality pages, the manufacture of New Naturalist print on demand titles uses traditional book binding methods. In fact, more personal care and attention goes into the making of these editions than in the mass printing of standard editions.

The following steps are undertaken by Martins the Printers to create an individual bespoke volume utilizing a digitized version of the original printing.

• Text pages printed digitally on Genuine Traditional Cream Bookwove.
• Colour and Black & White Plate sections printed digitally on Gloss Art paper.
• Plates cut up and manually inserted into the correct position within the book.
• Book is Glued and Lined to form the inside Bookblock of all pages.
• The Bookblock is trimmed on three sides to the correct size.
• End Papers and a Crepe Lining are glued onto the Bookblock to give strength to the book.
• The Case Material, which is Genuine Cloth Library Buckram in the original green colour is cut to size.
• The front and back boards for the Hard Book Case are cut and the Case is hand made by gluing the Cloth to the Boards and sized to match the Bookblock.
• The finished Book is now assembled by Pasting the End Papers and attaching the Bookblock inside the Case.
• The Book is now put in a traditional Book Clamp overnight for the glues to dry.
• The final process is fitting the Jacket, which has been Laminated , to the finished Book.
• Your Hand Made book made specially for you is now ready for shipping direct to your door.

DIFFERENCES FROM FIRST EDITIONS

We have been careful to differentiate the print on demand editions from the original first editions:

• Print on demand jackets are all laminate
• Print on demand jackets and inside edition pages state that the books are print on demand.
• There is no title printed on the spine of the book casing - technology dictates this, not choice.
• The casing is square back not curved - technology dictates this, not choice.

TIME FOR MANUFACTURING

Because your book is individually made to order and hand made using traditional methods, it takes 5 days for us to Print and Bind your individual copy of the New Naturalists, after which it is ready for dispatch. For initial orders please allow 28 days for delivery in case of high demand.

CM, Martins the Printers, June 2009

We hope you are interested in trying out these new books - please do contact us if you would like to purchase the full set at a discount.