Communications of the ACM
ACM Books to Launch
The academic and technical publishing landscape has changed significantly over the past decade. Following a period of massive consolidation in the scientific, technical, and medical publishing industry, there are now only a handful of commercial houses publishing computer science research, and their attention to computer science books, and in particular to graduate textbooks and research monographs where sales are modest compared to the undergraduate market, has dwindled. There are certainly exceptions, and university presses have filled some of the gap, but in today's environment it is entirely accurate to say a considerable vacuum exists in scholarly computer science book publishing. As a result, ACM has decided to play a significant role in filling some of this void by launching a new book program called ACM Books that will enhance its already rich journal and conference publication portfolio. We will begin publishing books in 2014.
ACM Books will fill a unique space in the publishing domain by including books from across the entire spectrum of computer science subject matter. The series will initially focus on four kinds of books: graduate-level textbooks, deep research monographs that provide an overview of established and emerging fields, practitioner-level professional books, and books devoted to the history and social impact of computing. This publishing program will address the information needs of various members of the computing community, including researchers, practitioners, educators, and students. Our books will also expose the rich history of computing and the substantial global impact this field commands.