A (Very) Different Kind of Book

Dr. Harvey Levenson, Cal Poly professor emeritus, is a familiar figure at PRINT 17. He’s also a familiar name in the printing industry, having taught and consulted on print technology for more than 50 years.

This year, at the Ricoh USA booth (2022), Professor Levenson and former Seybold editor John Parsons are introducing a new, hybrid media approach to book publishing. Tentatively dubbed “the multi-book,” the printed volume will serve as a gateway to related multimedia content using RICOH’s Clickable Paper technology.

A prototype of the book will be available at PRINT 17. On Monday, September 11, Levenson and Parsons will be at the Ricoh booth for a signing event. The full, digitally enhanced version of the book, “Introduction to Graphic Communication, Second Edition”, will be printed, using a RICOH Pro VC60000 inkjet press, in early 2018.

“Printing Industries of America (PIA) (Booth 3802) published my original book in 2007,” Levenson says. “It sold very well, but ten years is a long time. Many schools have requested an update, especially to include new mobile-based publishing technologies. I reached out to John, who has written extensively about new media. PIA was gracious enough to transfer the publishing rights to us.”