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HarperCollins has brought 98 titles from its New Naturalists series back into print with a new print-on-demand service.
New Naturalists, published under the Collins imprint, has been running for more than 60 years and its 111th title, Dartmoor by Ian Mercer, is to be released on 17th September.
Previously, books in the series had a limited print run—approximately 5,000 copies of each title were released in hardback, with a further 2,000 produced in paperback. As a consequence, 98 books in the series were out of print.
However, customers can now buy new titles as well as books from the entire backlist through a print-on-demand service on www.newnaturalists.com. Martins the Printers has the digital files and can produce pre-approved text pages. The books are then printed using hand-crafted binding methods.
Four new titles in the New Naturalists series are published every year and the standard print run for these will continue, with p.o.d. stepping in once supply has been exhausted.
The move to p.o.d. will ensure supply to bookshops. Collins digital publisher Alex Gatrell said: "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."
He added: "Collectors will doubtless continue to seek out first editions, but a print-on-demand copy will fill gaps and provide an edition to read and enjoy. Subject enthusiasts who want books from the series on areas that interest them, but can't afford the second-hand market, can finally own a copy at the standard hardback price of £50."
Second-hand retailer AbeBooks lists prices for second-hand versions of the series from several pounds to hundreds of pounds. The most expensive book listed by the online store was a title published in 1993 called Caves and Cave Life, New Naturalist No 79, with a price of £1,144.25.