The first step in establishing MIT's new Publishing Services Bureau has been completed with the appointment of Bruce M. Bernstein as director.
Formerly the associate director of admissions at MIT, Mr. Bernstein had responsibility for the student recruiting publications and the Admissions Office video. "Bruce is highly regarded both inside and outside MIT for his creative leadership and planning capabilities," Kathryn A. Willmore, director of public relations services, said in announcing his appointment.
The Bureau, which will report to both Ms. Willmore and to Senior Vice President William R. Dickson, has a dual charge of helping to make MIT publications more effective and more economical.
The Bureau will be an MIT service for coordinating the Institute's print and electronic publishing activities. The staff will consist of publishing professionals with expertise in printing, purchasing, graphic design and electronic publishing. They will serve as advisors and brokers between MIT customers and outside service providers.
Interviews are beginning for the other Bureau positions, according to Mr. Bernstein. "Currently, I am working with members of the MIT publications community to create a dynamic staff for the Bureau," he said. "Our goal is to help the community create publications, print and electronic, both more efficiently and effectively, and hopefully, have fewer hassles and more fun while doing so."
Plans are to have the Bureau in operation by January. Until then, publications production will continue in a transition mode. MIT offices that need to order printing should contact Rick Frye, x3-4765, Rm N42-205. Offices needing advice about graphic design projects should continue to contact Celia Metcalf, director of Design Services, x3-2697, Rm 5-133.
Though use of the Publishing Bureau will not be mandated, the senior administration hopes that the MIT community will take advantage of the communications expertise and competitive pricing that the MIT partner companies will offer.
"A primary goal for the Bureau is to help MIT offices reduce the cost of the publications they produce," Mr. Dickson said. "This will be done by negotiating volume discounts with a variety of printers and design firms."
Advice and referrals will be free to anyone in the community who is involved in publishing anything from business cards and stationery to intricately designed brochures or Web pages. Actual production costs will be paid by the office or individual responsible for the publication.
The selection of preferred outside vendors will not be made until the Bureau is up and running, but service providers who want to be considered can send a letter to Mr. Frye of the print transition team to indicate their interest.
Though the offset printing, photographic and illustration areas of Graphic Arts were closed as of August 31, two operations formerly affiliated with Graphic Arts continue as MIT departments. These are the Audio Visual Service and the Copy Technology Centers, formerly called the Quick Copy Centers. Both of these areas now report directly to Mr. Dickson.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on October 23, 1996.
