Development or Disarray; The Two Sides of Digital Printing Technology in the Publishing World
According to the correspondent of the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), experts in the field of printing and publishing believe that in recent years, digital printing has been able to help the survival of the publishing industry in the new era and rescue many publishers from bankruptcy. Furthermore, the link between the printing industry and the digital world has significantly contributed to the growth and development of this industry, leading to new innovations in publishing. Publishers have also ensured their continued activity in recent years by relying on digital printing.
However, it can be said that the obsolescence of printing machines and equipment is considered the biggest challenge in the printing and publishing sector. If conditions are created for modern technologies to enter the country, it will also help the growth of the publishing industry. Two decades ago, some considered digital printing a threat to traditional printing, but the efficiencies of this printing method and its contribution to the publishing industry and other industries corrected this view, and its audience and proponents grew day by day.
Experts, however, believe that while the development of digital printing in Iran is an opportunity to save publishing, its unregulated use can steer the industry away from professionalism. With rising paper, printing, and distribution costs, “digital printing” has become one of the most important survival tools for Iranian publishers in recent years. Experts believe that while this technology has fostered the growth of young authors and reduced economic risk, its unregulated use can compromise the professionalism of the publishing industry.
As the Iranian book market struggles with declining demand for printed copies, increased production costs, and limited warehouse space, digital printing has provided a way forward for publishers; an opportunity that, according to publishing activists, has kept the lights on for many small and medium-sized publishing houses.
Financial Salvation for Small Publishers
Digital printing, by addressing publishers’ needs for various print runs and enabling the printing of limited numbers, has meant that publishers are not forced to tie up capital for book publication. Previously, publishing a book typically required printing at least 500 copies; a figure that represented significant capital for many publishers, especially on the eve of events like book fairs.
Mohammad-Mehdi Tinay Tehrani, an activist in the digital printing sector, referring to the current state of book production and printing, believes that a publisher with 500 titles for an exhibition, a few years ago, would have had to spend about 40 million Tomans to offer each work at their booth. Today, however, they can print the same number of titles for one-tenth or one-fortieth of that amount, and if well-received, quickly increase the print run.
He continued: “In this way, digital printing has enabled market assessment before heavy investment, a process that is now adopted as the primary approach in publishing in many countries worldwide.”
Tinay Tehrani stated that one of the most significant advantages of digital printing is creating opportunities for new talents. He added: “Publishing books for young poets and authors in previous years was often time-consuming and difficult due to high costs. Now, however, publishers can initially offer low-risk works or unknown authors in limited print runs, and if they gain visibility, continue publishing subsequent editions.”
In his view, “A book must first be born to be seen,” which describes the philosophy of digital printing in today’s Iranian publishing. “Sometimes we know that a young poet’s book probably won’t have high sales in its first print run, but it has value and potential for the future. If we want to publish the book with a large print run from the beginning, the publisher won’t accept the financial risk, and the work will never reach the audience.”
Speed of Correction and Publication of New Editions with Digital Printing
It can be said that another advantage of digital printing is the possibility of quick corrections and the release of new editions. In the past, if a book contained a typographical error, a translation error, or required rewriting, the publisher had to correct or discard all printed copies at great expense. But now, content changes are immediately applied to the next print run, without losing previous investment. This is especially important for translated, academic, and educational books—books that require continuous updating.
One of the new trends in global publishing, gradually expanding in Iran, is print-on-demand. In this method, the publisher prints and dispatches books after receiving firm orders from readers—for example, at book fairs or through online sales—meaning sales occur first, then production.
Tinay Tehrani considered this method a great advantage for publishers suffering from lack of capital or warehouse space and said: “Zero warehousing and reduced transportation costs and returns of unsold books are part of these benefits.”
Exclusive Editions and Limited Prints: A New Experience for the Reader
Beyond the economic aspect, digital printing has also made it possible to create new experiences for the reader. One example is the printing of limited editions (Limited Edition) for specific programs, events, or audiences. A publisher can release a story, biography, or poetry collection exclusively for attendees of an event with a different ending or custom design; an edition that will not be found in the general market.
According to Tinay Tehrani, these types of commemorative and personalized prints have become a trend globally, and experts believe they can gradually find their place in Iran as well. Although some publishers and innovative companies have moved towards using this technology and new experience, it is still limited in the Iranian publishing market and can be expanded with better and more organized planning and cultural promotion for publishers.
Alongside this, and despite its many advantages, experts warn against the unregulated use of digital printing. According to Tinay Tehrani, some publishers, by becoming “one-person publishers” without adhering to production standards, handle everything from cover design to editing in a scattered and unprofessional manner, leading to a decline in the quality of works and reduced reader trust.
He continued: “Also, some private publishers exploit this possibility for small and unrealistic print runs; an issue that makes official publishing statistics unreliable. While other countries have harnessed digital printing to serve a professional publishing cycle, in Iran, these links—from content production to printing and distribution—are often disconnected from each other.”
Tinay Tehrani stated that with changing reader behavior and decreasing demand for printed books, experts predict the future of publishing will increasingly shift towards audiobooks, e-books, and digital platforms. He added: “Nevertheless, printed copies will still remain, but primarily for books that have widespread appeal or where the physical copy holds significant value for the reader.”
Overall, it can be said that while a few years ago, publishing a book was a costly and risky dream for a novice author, with the advent of digital printing, books are now born in limited editions to continue if they gain visibility. Publishers have welcomed this transformation, yet they worry that quality might be sacrificed for speed and ease of publication.
Digital printing has been a “saving angel” for some publishers and a “gateway to disorder” for others. This method has reduced costs and made it easier to publish low-circulation books, but if used without oversight and standards, it can lead to a decline in the quality of cultural productions.
