Past Letters From the Editor McGraw-Hill Mass Communication

This is the most exciting time of year in college publishing. This is the time when the books we've been working on become reality.

The average length of time for development of a revision is two years. For a new book, the development time is rarely shorter than three years. So when the actual book gets delivered from the printer, it's a mini-time capsule. You remember that you spilled coffee on the signed contracts. You remember leaving the holiday party early because chapters had to go to the production group that day. You remember that the author had to work over the Fourth of July weekend because pages were late. You remember that the author's vision is expressed on those pages and that your own pride in your craft is reflected there, too. And, you fear the mistakes.

I don't know what other editors do, but I keep the books on my desk for a while before I even open them. It takes a while to adjust to the dream being a reality. Then, like a parent counting fingers and toes, I go through the book and see that it's all there, exactly like I knew it would be.

Funny thing is, after all this time, it's really just the beginning. A textbook only comes to life in a classroom, or dorm room, or library — you get my point.

When your new books come to campus this Fall, keep in mind that there's labor of love behind the volumes, and enjoy.

October 1998

It gives me great pleasure to announce the unveiling of our new Home Page and Media Galaxy. Thanks go to Sherry Kane in our New Media department for her hard work and creativity!

The navigation through this site is easy, but let me give you a few hints:

1. The catalog button makes it easy to find any book if you know the author's name. Each catalog segment give you complete information on the text and supplements.
2. To view our most ambitious websites, click on the Showcase button. These sites are groundbreakers for how text and web material can be used in tandem to improve the learning and teaching experience.
3. Our Media Galaxy organizes our content by discipline and course. It gives you the opportunity to check out all the resources we have in the courses you teach. The Galaxy is a site we will continue to build.
4. This month, we will launch INTERLINK, by Joseph Bridges, a site open to all students who can use help navigating the Internet for useful, trustworthy, mass communication information.
5. This month is the anniversary of my first letter from the Editor. The first letter talked about my wishes for the Web. A year later, it's gratifying to see those wishes coming true!