90 Out-of-Print Books from the Meiji to Showa Eras Revived on Amazon! Launch of 'Antique Book Reprint Project' Using Amazon POD

The Japan Library Business Association (Representative Director: Ryo Tokoyoda) has launched the 'Antique Book Reprint Project' in collaboration with the Ryozanhaku Publishing Department (Representative: Kensaku Shimamoto) to reprint out-of-print historical documents and academic books. In recent years, as historical materials have become scattered or difficult to obtain, the importance of preserving and recirculating cultural assets has increased. This project started in 2022 and has reprinted 90 titles over approximately four years. The project utilizes Amazon's Print-on-Demand (POD) service to reprint and sell books that were previously difficult to obtain. The Japan Library Business Association is a designated agent for Amazon POD. This allows anyone to purchase historical materials that were previously only available in the antique book market or libraries through Amazon. By using the POD method, printing and binding occur only when an order is placed, enabling inventory-free, small-lot, and out-of-print book publishing. For more details, visit https://www.jmarc.or.jp/project.html. The project focuses on historical materials and research books from the Meiji to Showa eras, including the oldest, 'Hyohi Ippan' (published in 1887), biographies of Ryoma Sakamoto, and materials on the Meiji Restoration and Taisho Democracy. The project aims not only to reprint but also to preserve historical materials, recirculate research data, and digitize cultural assets. The Ryozanhaku Publishing Department handles the discovery, editing, and reprinting of these materials. The Japan Library Business Association aims to create a new mechanism for the preservation and distribution of cultural materials by leveraging new publishing technologies like Amazon POD.