ATLANTA, Ga. — When Oxford College (www.oxford.emory.edu) wanted to draw appreciation to its distinctive 56-acre campus, and nearby town of Oxford’s architecture and gardens, it decided to showcase its distinctive surroundings by developing an architectural history book through specialty custom publisher Bookhouse Group (www.bookhouse.net). Scheduled for release in late 2009, the museum quality book combines professionally researched and compelling prose with both archival and current photography.
According to Bookhouse Group founder and custom publishing expert Rob Levin, independent colleges and universities commemorate their roots, their legacy and their physical assets for many reasons, but institutional development needs are nearly always the compelling motivation.
There are myriad options available to colleges and universities that want to mark significant anniversaries or achievements. Making the right choice means asking the right questions, such as: How do we want to be viewed and remembered? Will our commemorative effort create pride and serve as a legacy? How can we tie our commemorative project to our organization’s current business objectives so that it supports and advances them? Will the cost of the project be justified by an outcome that resonates longer than a weekend and extends beyond a fixed geographic location?
Referencing a book created for Berry College (www.berry.edu), Levin recalls the school’s then-president, the late Dr. Gloria Shatto, viewing the layout for the first time along with its precious archival photos.
“She handed it back to us and said, ‘I can’t sell Berry College on what it used to be. I have to sell what it is today,'” Levin remembers. “We promptly went out and shot 20 more days of new photography, wrote more manuscript about current programs, and received excellent marks on the final product.”
Bookhouse Group has also published commemorative institutional history books for Emory University (www.emory.edu); Carson-Newman College (www.cn.edu); Reinhardt College (www.reinhardt.edu ); Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College (http://abtech.edu ), and many others, including private preparatory schools.
“Institutions of higher learning face distinct challenges and opportunities related to their multi-faceted constituencies, which include current faculty and retirees, some of whom have had long relationships with the school; parents and current students; and, naturally, a school’s biggest audience will be its alumni,” Levin explains. “Commemorative efforts must not only reflect their experiences and impressions, but also offer a tangible, accessible end-product that they can share, as well as treasure.”
Organizations approaching watermark anniversaries, such as a 10-year, 25-year or 100-year increment often want to refresh their image, as well as recount the story and reinforce the vision that brought them there. Creating a commemorative history book, complete with unique current photography and prose, not only creates a centerpiece for the celebration, but can also provide the elements needed to update web site content, marketing collateral and other external communications, according to Levin.
The opportunity to integrate the history’s elements into a variety of multi-media formats not only extends its reach, but also deepens its value across an institution’s development efforts. Institutional histories are timeless, not tied to a single date or location, and are destined to become treasured individual possessions, fulfilling the intent of a commemorative investment.
About Bookhouse Group
For two decades, Bookhouse(R) Group (www.bookhouse.net) has created showcase quality commemorative histories in classic art book format combining the highest-grade content elements, including skilled writing, professional photography, and creative design with pre-press production, printing, handling and distribution. Bookhouse Group works with businesses, organizations, institutions and communities that have chosen a custom publishing project as both a statement of their purpose and an investment in their image, helping to establish, strengthen and embellish their legacy by creating an enduring work of art that will resonate timelessly and meaningfully.
Experts in the creation and production of superior quality organizational histories and commemorative storybooks developed on schedule, on budget and to the expectations, Bookhouse Group is obsessed with closely managing its clients’ projects to ensure a high quality result that will elicit pride, is delivered on budget, on schedule and with no disappointing surprises.
