Alumni - Chris Kinsey, BA Publishing

As a graduate of the Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies (OICPS), I am happy to say that it was the stepping-stone which helped me to develop a career in publishing.  I enjoyed several successful years in the field of print-on-demand with Lightning Source, and I’m currently working at 4edge Ltd which is a specialist in high quality digital printing of books and journals. ...

It is not just a question of the modules I studied, which have all been useful; my time at the OICPS also provided other essential building-blocks for my professional development.  It was where I started to learn the value of teamwork, networking and presentation skills.  I also got a taste of the entrepreneurial nature of publishing, as well as the rigour and hard work required in order to add value to something.

I studied part time while working, and got my first job in publishing as a result of being on the course.  I also found my role at Lightning Source advertised in the jobs section of the OICPS website.

Books have always been a labour of love for me, and that is reflected in another project with which I am involved.  Editotum is a Web 2.0 independent bookshop.  With the impact of new technologies (POD, ebooks, self-publishing tools) and the explosion of content, bookshops have an increasingly important role as both gatekeepers and facilitators within their communities (both online and off).  As well as promoting titles by independent publishers, the aim of Editotum is to link readers and authors, and experiment with new models of bookselling and publishing.

Posted on 07 Dec 2009 around 1pm