xm lforthe smallerpublisher-andywilliams
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XML for the smaller publisherCambridge University Press – Case studyAndy WilliamsManager Content Services &AcPro Production Director - Europe
Context – Academic & Professional books
• Approx 1500 new titles per annum• XML first workflow for as many as possible
– not author-supplied LaTeX– Probably about 65% of the frontlist
• Since 2001• Single dedicated Academic books DTD
(CBML)• All front list to Adobe eBooks, bulk of XML
titles to Mobi/HTML eBooks
Books workflow
Author files
Typesetter for
conversion to ‘XML’ Typesetter
ouputs files for copy editing-- PDF-- Word-- XML Copy editing
Text correction;Page make
up;Proofing
Print files
XML files
Source files for Adobe eBooks
Final content
approved in
typesetting engine
XML QA
Preflight PDFs
Preflight and link checks
Context - Journals
• 231 journal titles; approx 1,000 issues/annum
• 204 as XML workflow for full text• All require XML headers for online platform• Scanned archive – references as XML• Dedicated journals DTD (informed by NLM
but more granular) – CJML• NLM used as the ‘transfer’ format to hand to
our online platform plus 3rd parties
Journals workflowAuthor files
Typesetter for
conversion to ‘XML’
Copy editing
Text correction;Page make
up;Proofing
Print files
XML files-- CJML
Web PDFs
Final content
approved in
typesetting engine
XML QA
Preflight PDFs
Preflight PDFs
Convert to NLM
XML
Convert to HTML full text +
NLM headers
3rd parties, e.g. Portico
Cambridge Journals Online
Context – what we’ve already changed
• Single DTD for books and journals didn’t work• Single DTD for books doesn’t really work…
(monographs, textbooks, MRWs)• ‘Standards’ are open to interpretation (e.g.
NLM)• ‘XML editing’ environment – make more user
friendly
• Clear, informed, decisions need to be made
Decision points
• Why – what are the objectives?• What do you want to get?• When in the workflow is best for you?• Where will processing & control be
handled?• Who will do the work?• How – what workflow, tools and processes?
Why
• Benefits to the production process• End (and interim) deliverables
– Direct -- XML– Indirect -- linking within PDFs
• Buy in… and understanding– XML is not a magic bullet– There’s XML and there’s XML
What
• Bespoke DTD• Standard DTD (TEI, docbook, NLM)• No DTD• Schema• How many?• Who to maintain?• Just XML? Application files, style files?
When
• At start, early, late or back end?• CUP books – before copy editing• CUP journals – after copy editing (cf RSC)• Constraints
– Editorial tools– Tradition– Authors– Additional QA– costs
Where
• In house• Out house• Offshore• Map where you stand today, future reality
and draw a route plan• Take it steady
Who
• XML coding• Typesetting/pagination• QA• Archiving• DTD maintenance• Associated tools – automated QA and
transformations
How
• Put it all together• Do you predicate the supplier workflow and
tools, or just the outputs you want?– InDesign and InCopy– Word templates– LaTeX; 3B2
• Return to beginning – why? Monitor and review and change
Other lessons learnt
• Drivers and buy in• Disruptive• Traditional publishing models may not be ideal• Support and infrastructure• People and cultural issues bigger than
technical issues• Still need a decent user-friendly editing tool• Don’t forget the non-XML titles
Conclusions
• Full cost/benefit analysis first– Be clear on the implications (technical resources etc)– “Automated not automatic”
• Get your ‘customers’ on board• Small scale experiments?
• Would we do it now (if we hadn’t already)…– Journals – definitely– ELT – trying to catch up– Academic books – perhaps more selectively
Questions?
Andy WilliamsManager Content Services
&AcPro Production Director – Europe