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September 2, 1954 Internal Memorandum Publishing - No. 2 Brookings Institution Dr. Robert Calkins of the Brookings Institution explained the Brookings arrangements. There has been some indication that Brookings would like to take care of whatever publishing was done in this project and this conversation made matters a little clearer* All printing for Brookings is done by the Banta Press of Menasha, Wisconsin* George Banta is the president. Their Washington office is located in a building which Brookings owns on Jackson Place. The editorial work on manuscripts is done by Brookings. Banta will do any kind of book design which is asked. They are notable for low-cost speed operation. Brookings experience shows them to deliver a book two and one-half months after sending the manuscript. Their costs are 30^ under other estimates. They also have the advantage of being able to hold a manuscript in sheets and bind later. This is of value in the cost of a book which proves more popular than estimates showed it might be before it was issued* The latest Kaplan book has been put out in 15,000 copies in two forms of materials; one paper bound at 50#, the other cloth at |1.4-0. The Banta cost for handling each copy is 75$ • Compared with MacMillan this is a notable saving. On the negative side is the question as to whether the distribution which Brookings gets on its books is as wide as MacMillan could do. MacMillan has better foreign outlets* but Brookings gets a better press cover and gives more attention to the needs of Washington reporters. —2— Also on the negative side is the whole matter of book design, the c\tf Kaplan book .sighted above ddes not come through very well from this point of view. It might be that Brookings would be willing to do better looking books, but certainly there are criticisms to be made on this angle* Brookings would handle publishing work which is done under its own auspices (presumably this would not rule out work done under the auspices of this Committee and Brookings)• Their rule is that all work submitted must be read by a committee of staff members which are accustomed to make rather elaborate criticise. Calkins* The final decision rests with the president, who is £r. The main problem is the setting of standards and the question as to whether Brookings shall try to conform to existing standards or shall help raise them* So far as the Committee is concerned the appropriate question would be what responsibility would Brookings take should a subcommittee of scholars be named for reading or would the historian be content with a Brookings staff • committee* Dr. Calkins felt that the book should certainly all be published by the same publishing house, including possible biographical matter, which is not normally a Brookings project, but if it forms a part of the whole complex Brookings would accept it* Dr* Calkins thinks that in general if foundations would pay the printing costs they could manage to break even on publication* An issue of 3,000 copies means #5*000 to |7,000 for printing costs of which the Committee should not be expected to provide a subsidy of more than $3,000 to #4,000•
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