Questions about National Academies Press

Short answers, pulled from the story.

What is the mission of the US National Academies Press?

The US National Academies Press must disseminate works as widely as possible while remaining financially self-sustaining through sales. This dual goal has driven decades of experimentation with online publishing models.

When did the National Academy Press first make material available on the Web for free?

In 1993, the entity known as the National Academy Press became the first self-sustaining publisher to make material available on the Web for free. By 1997, one thousand reports were accessible as sequential page images starting with i, then ii, then iii, and continuing onward.

How many PDF downloads had been recorded by early 2025 from the National Academies Press?

By early 2025, twenty-five million PDFs had been downloaded since all reports became accessible without charge. The NAP announced it would provide full text of all reports from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine as free PDF downloads on the 2nd of June 2011.

Who served as director of publishing technologies at the National Academies Press from 1998 through 2008?

Michael Jon Jensen served as director of publishing technologies from 1998 through 2008. He contributed to discussions about free distribution in environments of content abundance during his tenure.

What percentage of customers took a free PDF when interrupted during print book purchases in 2003?

The conclusion showed that 42% of customers would take the free PDF when interrupted during print book purchases. This meant 58% of potential purchasers remained willing to pay for printed copies.