Key Points for Publishers

Key Points for Publishers

• To submit a title on the BA website, publishers must first sign up to the Embargoed Titles Code of Practice on the BA website and give contact details to which all correspondence concerning Embargoed Titles should be directed.
• Publishers will decide the titles for which they wish to impose an Embargo Date and should limit selection only to those major titles which have sufficient marketing spend, are likely to attract national media and public interest or have a significant national serial deal.
• The vast majority of titles will not be covered by embargoes and consequently will only have a normal publication date. The website is only for Embargoed Titles and is not to be used to record new titles.
• Details of Embargoed Titles must include author, title, binding (in brackets after the title – eg HB/PB/TBP/CD), 13 digit ISBN and the Embargo Date.
• The Embargo Date is the date on which the title can be put on sale by booksellers. There is no specific day of the week for publication.
• Details must be posted at the earliest opportunity and certainly no later than six weeks before publication. Publishers should endeavour not to change the Embargo Date in under six weeks before publication.
• Wherever possible publishers should use the ONIX OnSaleDate element to identify Embargoed Titles.
• Publishers should also inform their key customers, their distributors, the bibliographic agencies and the trade press.
• Publishers should ensure that the Embargo Date is effectively notified to, and promulgated by, the media when sending out review copies and/or when any serialization rights are sold.
• Publishers will ensure that their distributors use appropriate documentation to ensure that all their customers are fully aware of embargoes when the books are delivered.
• Anyone seeing early selling of a title covered by embargoes will inform the appropriate publisher using the contact details on the Publishers List.
• Publishers notified of any early selling or physical display of titles selected for an Embargo Date will demand that their titles are withdrawn from sale.
• If, for some overwhelming reason, the Embargo Date cannot be held, publishers should take urgent steps to notify their key customers and the BA that the Embargo Date has been withdrawn and the books can be put on sale.
• To keep up to date with titles on the BA website (ie new additions, deletions and changes to the publication date), there is an email subscription list open to all on the Embargoed Titles page.