The print shop starts the semester by publishing 75 percent of the anticipated number of books required for each course. Then it publishes additional copies as inventory declines. This reduces waste dramatically. If a class enrollment is 100 students, Cornell will sell 95 course packs. That's dramatically higher than the average for the textbook industry.
Students receive good value because they can often buy one course pack instead of several textbooks.
The production cost for creating course packs using the new system runs roughly five cents per page. Customized course packs have succeeded at Cornell because the new digital publishing system raises the level of quality, and McDaniel's team makes it easy for faculty to use the system. Customized course packs are just one application, however. Traditionally, that has required costly offset printing and a substantial warehousing operation. But with the new system, the Cornell print center can print on demand to fulfill orders for CERP, eliminating inventory costs.