Book Industry Study Group

The Book Industry Study Group, Inc. (BISG) began at the annual conference of the Book Manufacturers Institute in November 1975. Here, a few publishers and manufacturers met informally with representatives of several trade associations to discuss the urgent need to improve the industry's research capability. Once begun, this small group invited others to join in sponsoring a seminal study of book industry information needs on which a future program could be based. BISG was incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation in February 1976 and its Report on Book Industry Information Needs was completed and published in April 1976. The report confirmed the feasibility of a program of major research studies by and about the industry.

As an organization BISG is concerned with the publishing industry as a whole and its membership consists of companies from all sectors of the industry. Trade and professional associations such as the Association of American Publishers, the American Booksellers Association, the Independent Book Publishers Association and the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association have all been long standing active members of BISG.

Over the years BISG has published many research reports in response to the needs of its members. Among these are studies of paper availability, book distribution, elementary/high school adoptions, printing capacity cycles, book sales through non-traditional book markets, consumer book buying habits and an informational guide to the top 50 relevant corporate and community sponsored education programs. In conjunction with other organizations, BISG has produced reports on African-American book buyers, small and independent book publishers, and the state of used book sales in the U.S.

Through BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communications), BISG has been involved with technological advances such as bar codes and electronic business communications formats. It developed BISAC (Book Industry Subject and Category) Subject Headings, which are a mainstay in the industry and required for participation in many databases. BISAC Subject Headings are also making inroads into library classification.[1]

A range of committees and working groups provide BISG members with an ongoing platform for the identification, assessment, and resolution of book industry issues, at times through the development of standards and best practices. These committees and working groups are actively managed by BISG members and meet on a monthly basis.

BISG Committees: Metadata and Identification Committee, Rights Committee, Subject Codes Committee, Supply Chain Committee, Workflow Committee

BISAC Working Groups: Rights Taxonomy Working Group

• Books in the United States

• BISG website
• Finding aid to Book Industry Study Group records at Columbia University. Rare Book & Manuscript Library.