Deseret Book () is an American publishing company headquartered in

Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...

, that also operates a chain of bookstores throughout the western United States. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of

Deseret Management Corporation The Deseret Management Corporation (DMC) () is a global operating company, managing for-profit entities affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It was established in 1966 by church president David O. McKay to ...

(DMC), the holding company for business firms owned by

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

(LDS Church). Deseret Book is a for-profit corporation registered in

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...

. Deseret Book publishes under four imprints with media ranging from works explaining LDS theology and doctrine, LDS-related fiction, electronic resources, and sound recordings such as

The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir, acting as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for o ...

albums.

History

The Deseret Book Company was created in 1919 from a merger of the Deseret News Bookstore and the Deseret Sunday School Union Bookstore. Both of these Utah bookstores trace their roots to

George Q. Cannon George Quayle Cannon (January 11, 1827 – April 12, 1901) was an early member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and served in the First Presidency under four successive pr ...

, a

Latter-day Saint Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...

general Authority. " Deseret" is a word from the

Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a religious text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which, according to Latter Day Saint theology, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 600 BC to AD 421 and during an interlude date ...

that is said to mean "honeybee."

George Q. Cannon & Sons

George Q. Cannon published the first issue of ''

Juvenile Instructor ''The Juvenile Instructor'' was a magazine for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It began publication in 1866 as a private publication, but by the late 1860s served as the de facto publication of the LDS Churc ...

'' magazine in 1866. Cannon organized the

Deseret Sunday School Union Sunday School (formerly the Deseret Sunday School Union) is an organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). All members of the church and any interested nonmembers, age 11 and older, are encouraged to participate i ...

, an LDS Church organization responsible for educating young church members, and the magazine was the first church periodical oriented toward youth. Cannon opened the George Q. Cannon & Sons bookstore in 1867 to sell the magazine and other publications of an uplifting nature. Cannon believed that secular novels did not reflect Latter-day Saint values. In the 1880s, Cannon expanded with a branch in

Ogden, Utah Ogden is a city in and the county seat of Weber County, Utah, United States, approximately east of the Great Salt Lake and north of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,321 in 2020, according to the US Census Bureau, making it Utah's eighth ...

. It is not known how many books Cannon & Sons actually published itself. In this era, authors commonly

self-published Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author at their own cost, without the involvement of a publisher. The term usually refers to written media, such as books and magazines, either as an ebook or as a physical copy using POD (pri ...

their books, which were then distributed by others. However, Cannon & Sons distributed several important books through their stores and mail order (see table). The company had extensive ties to the LDS Church-owned newspaper, the ''

Deseret News The ''Deseret News'' () is the oldest continuously operating publication in the American west. Its multi-platform products feature journalism and commentary across the fields of politics, culture, family life, faith, sports, and entertainment. Th ...

.'' Five of Cannon's sons held important positions in the paper, and Cannon himself was editor between 1867 and 1872, and again while temporarily owning the paper from 1892 to 1898. Nearly every George Q. Cannon & Sons book was printed on the ''Deseret News'' press. Cannon sold the bookstore to the LDS Church in 1900, near the end of his life. The church combined the two businesses, and the remaining Salt Lake City bookstore became Deseret News Bookstore.

Deseret News Bookstore

By 1906, Deseret News press had a

Linotype machine The Linotype machine ( ) is a "line casting" machine used in printing; manufactured and sold by the former Mergenthaler Linotype Company and related It was a hot metal typesetting system that cast lines of metal type for individual uses. Lin ...

and dedicated book

press Press may refer to: Media * Print media or news media, commonly called "the press" * Printing press, commonly called "the press" * Press (newspaper), a list of newspapers * Press TV, an Iranian television network People * Press (surname), a fam ...

. Many significant volumes were published and distributed through the Deseret News Bookstore. Of these, the most successful was

James E. Talmage James Edward Talmage (21 September 1862 – 27 July 1933) was an English chemist, geologist, and religious leader who served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) fro ...

's '' Jesus the Christ''. Published in 1915, the book quickly went through numerous printings as the LDS Church's

First Presidency Among many churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency (also known as the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is the highest presiding or governing body. Present-day denominations of the movement led by a First Presidency ...

authorized its use in its

Sunday School A Sunday school is an educational institution, usually (but not always) Christian in character. Other religions including Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism have also organised Sunday schools in their temples and mosques, particularly in the West. Su ...

program. Meanwhile, the Deseret Sunday School Union, still publishing the money-losing ''Juvenile Instructor'', struggled to maintain its distribution center, the Deseret Sunday School Union Bookstore. Aimed at church supply, the Sunday School Bookstore sold

textbook A textbook is a book containing a comprehensive compilation of content in a branch of study with the intention of explaining it. Textbooks are produced to meet the needs of educators, usually at educational institutions. Schoolbooks are textboo ...

s, minutes ledgers, sacrament trays, as well as popular books. Since 1891, the non-profit Union asked for yearly five-cent contributions from Sunday school pupils on "Nickel Sunday." Facing over $12,000 in debt in 1914, requested donations increased to ten cents, and 1919 a committee formed to study the organizations solvency. Led by Talmage, the committee recommended consolidation of the Sunday School Bookstore with the Deseret News Bookstore.

Deseret Book

By 1920, both antecedent bookstores were closed and a single new Deseret Book Company building was constructed in

downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...

Salt Lake City at site of the former

ZCMI Center Mall The ZCMI Center Mall was a shopping center near Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States that was owned by Zions Securities Corporation (now Utah Property Management Associates), which opened in 1975 and closed in 2007. At the time of ...

. Ownership of Deseret Book was split between the ''Deseret News'' (70%) and the Deseret Sunday School Union (30%). However, the Union would manage the bookstore until 1932 when Deseret Book was incorporated for-

profit Profit may refer to: Business and law * Profit (accounting), the difference between the purchase price and the costs of bringing to market * Profit (economics), normal profit and economic profit * Profit (real property), a nonpossessory intere ...

as the "Utah Company". The ''Deseret News'' bought out the Sunday School Union in 1948 to become sole owner of the bookstore, but both the ''Deseret News'' and Deseret Book are now

subsidiaries A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having a sa ...

of DMC, which manages several for-profit assets of the LDS Church. Deseret News Press printed nearly all Deseret Book publications until the 1960s when the company began seeking other competitive bids. Through the 1930s, the bookstore focused mostly on Sunday school needs such as lesson manuals. Though the bookstore introduced relatively few new authors, several important works were published in this period. Notably,

B. H. Roberts Brigham Henry Roberts (March 13, 1857 – September 27, 1933) was a historian, politician, and leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He edited the seven-volume ''History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

magnum opus A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...

, the six-volume ''

Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ''A Comprehensive History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Century I'' is a six-volume history published in 1930 and written by B.H. Roberts, a general authority and Assistant Church Historian of the The Church of Jesus Christ o ...

'', 1930. Deseret Book did not accept manuscripts for publication until the 1940s when the company made a push for new authors. Deseret Book expanded into

motion picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

equipment and

photographic Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed i ...

supplies in the 1940s. Winning an exclusive contract to distribute for

Bell & Howell Bell and Howell LLC is a U.S.-based services organization and former manufacturer of cameras, lenses, and motion picture machinery, founded in 1907 by two projectionists, and originally headquartered in Wheeling, Illinois. The company is now he ...

in Utah and parts of

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

and

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

, Deseret Book supplied

16 mm film 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, educ ...

projectors A projector or image projector is an optical device that projects an image (or moving images) onto a surface, commonly a projection screen. Most projectors create an image by shining a light through a small transparent lens, but some newer types ...

to the LDS Church. Becoming a film distribution and rental outfit, the Deseret Book "Censorship Committee on Films" was established in 1946 because regular employees were unable to review all the films it handled. By 1950, 18 members sat on the committee. Preceding modern

LDS cinema Mormon cinema usually refers to films with themes relevant to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The term has also been used to refer to films that do not necessarily reflect Mormon themes but have been made ...

by over 50 years, Deseret Book founded Deseret Film Productions in 1947. The first film, produced by Frank Wise, was ''Where the Saints have Trod'', an 80-minute film celebrating the 100-year anniversary of

Mormon pioneer The Mormon pioneers were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), also known as Latter Day Saints, who migrated beginning in the mid-1840s until the late-1860s across the United States from the Midwest to the Sa ...

s entering Salt Lake Valley. Wise subsequently produced ''Temple Square'', a 30-minute filmed tour of Salt Lake City's most popular tourist location. Deseret Film recorded over 120 general conference talks over a six-year period. Intended for rental to

wards Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a priso ...

, the conference talks are the first motion pictures of the church's conferences. In the 1950s,

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

established a motion picture department which attracted Frank Wise. Deseret Film Productions was gradually disbanded. Soon,

KSL-TV KSL-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is the flagship television property of locally based Bonneville International, the for-profit broadcasting arm of the Church of Jesus Chr ...

began covering general conferences. Deseret Book's downtown location remained the only store until 1959 when site for an Ogden, Utah branch was donated. Stores in

Orange, California Orange is a city located in North Orange County, California. It is approximately north of the county seat, Santa Ana, California, Santa Ana. Orange is unusual in this region because many of the homes in its Old Town District were built before ...

and greater

Salt Lake County Salt Lake County is located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 1,185,238, making it the most populous county in Utah. Its county seat and largest city is Salt Lake City, the state capital. The coun ...

opened in malls in 1962. In the 1970s, the original location was torn down to make way for the ZCMI Center Mall where the store reopened on April 2, 1976, during a general conference to attract large crowds. Several more mall locations opened in the 1970s; in

Northridge, California Northridge is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles. The community is home to California State University, Northridge, and the Northridge Fashion Center. Originally named Zelzah by settlers in 1908, the comm ...

Boise, Idaho Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown are ...

, and many more locations in Utah. In 1997, Deseret Book opened its first Washington state location in the city of Bellevue. By 2004, Deseret Book operated over 33 stores in 9 western

US states In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

. Expanding its reach in eastern Idaho, the chain also purchased Beehive Book Stores, located in Rexburg, Idaho Falls, and Blackfoot, Idaho. Deseret Book already operated in Idaho Falls at the Grand Teton Mall and in Rexburg. The new store in Rexburg has expanded merchandise selection from the prior two stores. In the late 1970s, Deseret Book coordinated publication of new editions of the

King James Version The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version, is an Bible translations into English, English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and publis ...

of the

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

and the ''

''/''

Doctrine and Covenants The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C or D. and C.) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. Originally published in 1835 as Doctrine and Covenants of the Chur ...

''/'' Pearl of Great Price'' "Triple combination". The 1979 publication of the Bible was the first geared toward Latter-day Saints. A comparably styled "triple combination" was introduced in 1981. With notes from the

Joseph Smith Translation The Joseph Smith Translation (JST), also called the Inspired Version of the Holy Scriptures (IV), is a revision of the Bible by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, who said that the JST/IV was intended to restore what ...

, James E. Talmage's scripture commentary, and an index and "topical guide," the new editions are now standard in the LDS Church. Typesetting for the volumes was done by

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press A university press is an academic publishing hou ...

. Deseret Book began publishing

LDS fiction LDS may refer to: Organizations * LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah, US Religion * Latter Day Saint movement (LDS movement), a collection of independent church groups **The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest group within th ...

for the first time in 1979. In 1986, it purchased Mormon Handicraft–a handmade crafts store–from the

Relief Society The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, United States, and has more than 7 million members in over 18 ...

. As inventory and distribution was centralized in 1984, Deseret Book expanded its lines to include items such as

CTR ring "Choose the right" is a saying or motto among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) that is taught to children and used by members of the church as a reminder to make choices that will help an individual to live r ...

s and more popular music. In 2002,

Sheri L. Dew Sheri Linn Dew (born November 21, 1953) is an American author, publisher, the executive vice president of Deseret Management Corporation, and chief executive officer of the Deseret Book Company, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dew has als ...

became the first female CEO and president of Deseret Book. Deseret Book established new corporate offices and downtown Salt Lake City retail space during the redevelopment of the Crossroads Plaza Mall into the

City Creek Center The City Creek Center (CCC) is a mixed-use development with an upscale open-air shopping center, office and residential buildings, fountain, and simulated creek near Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It is an undertak ...

. In 2007, the corporate headquarters, with around 160 employees, moved into the top seven floors of the Utah Woolen Mills Clothiers building across the street from Temple Square. In April 2010 Deseret Book opened its "Flagship" store in the City Creek Center. This new store sits almost exactly on the same location as the first Deseret Book Location.

Acquisitions

Bookcraft

In early 1999,

Bookcraft Bookcraft was a major publisher of books and products for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). History In 1940, LDS Church president Heber J. Grant asked the church's ''Improvement Era'' magazine to compile his ...

was acquired by Deseret Book. This allowed them to expand in the larger "values-oriented" publishing market. The merger also brought more writings by general authorities under the church's ownership, allowing for electronic and print collaborations with other

entities (the

, and

Bonneville International Bonneville International Corporation is a media and broadcasting company, wholly owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) through its for-profit arm, Deseret Management Corporation. It began as a radio and TV network ...

) and church entities (such as

, the

Church Educational System The Church Educational System (CES) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non–Latter-day Saint elementary, sec ...

Excel Entertainment Group

Excel Entertainment Group's products deal thematically with

including ''

Forever Strong ''Forever Strong'' is a 2008 American sports drama film directed by Ryan Little, written by David Pliler and released on September 26, 2008. The film stars Sean Faris, Gary Cole, Neal McDonough, Sean Astin, Penn Badgley and Arielle Kebbel. The f ...

'' (2008), ''Midway to Heaven'' (2011), ''

Saints and Soldiers ''Saints and Soldiers'' is a 2003 war drama film directed by Ryan Little and produced by Little and Adam Abel. It is loosely based on events that took place after the Malmedy massacre during the Battle of the Bulge. The film stars Corbin Allred, ...

'' (2003), and ''

17 Miracles ''17 Miracles'' is a 2011 historical adventure film directed by T. C. Christensen. It was released in 2011 by Excel Entertainment Group. Based on the experiences of members of the Willie Handcart Company of Mormon pioneers following their late-sea ...

'' (2011). The Group is based in

History

On November 15, 2004, Deseret Book announced that it had acquired Excel Entertainment Group, a 10-year-old company particularly known for its

productions and record labels (Highway Records, Embryo Records, Joyspring Records). Jeff Simpson, the founder and president of Excel, became the merged company's new executive vice president. Both companies are privately held, so terms of the deal were not publicly released. Although some Excel employees were relocated to Shadow Mountain music at Deseret Book headquarters, most remained at the separate Excel headquarters in

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...

. A reported benefit of the merge was "more family-oriented products available in more places.".

List of feature releases

* '' God's Army'' (2000) * ''

Brigham City Brigham City is a city in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 17,899 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Box Elder County. It lies on the western slope of the Wellsville Mountains, a branch of the Wasatch Range at ...

'' (2001) * ''

The Other Side of Heaven ''The Other Side of Heaven'' is a 2001 American adventure drama film written and directed by Mitch Davis, based on John H. Groberg's autobiography ''In the Eye of the Storm''. The film stars Christopher Gorham as John Groberg and Anne Hathaway ...

'' (2001) * ''Charly'' (2002) * '' Pride and Prejudice: A Latter-Day Comedy'' (2003) * ''

'' (2003) * ''

The Work and The Glory ''The Work and the Glory'' is a 2004 historical fiction drama film directed by Russell Holt and starring Sam Hennings, Brenda Strong, Eric Johnson, Alexander Carroll, Tiffany Dupont, and Jonathan Scarfe. It tells the story of the fictional Steed ...

'' (2004) * ''American Mormon'' (2005) * '' The Work and The Glory II: American Zion'' (2005) * ''

Down and Derby ''Down and Derby'' (released as ''Racing Ace'' outside of North America) is a 2005 American comedy film written and directed by Eric Hendershot and starring Greg Germann, Lauren Holly, Adam Hicks, and Pat Morita. The movie was filmed outside St ...

'' (2005) * ''The Work and The Glory III: A House Divided'' (2006) * '' Outlaw Trail: The Treasure of Butch Cassidy'' (2006) * '' Stalking Santa'' (2006) * ''American Mormon in Europe'' (2006) * ''Return with Honor: A Missionary Homecoming'' (2007) * ''Anxiously Engaged: A Piccadilly Romance'' (2008) * ''Only a Stonecutter'' (2008) * ''

'' (2008) * ''

The Errand of Angels ''The Errand of Angels'' is a 2008 American LDS cinema drama filmThe Errand of Angels ...

'' (2008) * ''Scout Camp'' (2009) * ''Unitards'' (2010) * ''Midway to Heaven'' (2011) * ''Boys of Bonneville'' (2011) * ''

'' (2011) * ''The Making of Jimmer: The Story of Jimmer Fredette's Journey from the Playground to the Pros'' (2012) * '' Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed'' (2012) * ''

Ephraim's Rescue ''Ephraim's Rescue'' is a religious historical drama film by T. C. Christensen, released in 2013 by Excel Entertainment Group. It is based on the true stories of Mormon pioneers Ephraim Hanks and Thomas Dobson and their experiences in the handcart ...

'' (2013) * ''Us and Them'' (2013) * '' Saints and Soldiers: The Void'' (2014) * ''

Meet the Mormons ''Meet the Mormons'' is a 2014 American documentary film directed by Blair Treu and produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The film documents the lives of six devout Mormons living in the United States, Costa Ri ...

'' (2014) * ''The Christmas Dragon'' (2014) * ''

Once I Was a Beehive ''Once I Was a Beehive'' is a 2015 American comedy film written and directed by Maclain Nelson, about a girl who attends an LDS Young Women's camp. The film was shot in Utah, and Upstate New York. It received positive reviews from critics. (A "b ...

'' (2015) * ''Freetown'' (2015) * ''

The Cokeville Miracle ''The Cokeville Miracle'' is a 2015 drama film written & directed by T. C. Christensen and starring Jasen Wade, Sarah Kent and Kimball Stinger. The film was based on the Cokeville Elementary School hostage crisis in 1986 and the book ''The Cokevi ...

'' (2015) * ''Just Let Go'' (2015) * '' The Last Descent'' (2016) * ''Love, Kennedy'' (2017) * ''Trek: The Movie'' (2018) * ''Jane and Emma'' (2018) * '' The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith'' (2019) * ''The Santa Box'' (2020) * ''Once I Was Engaged'' (2021)

Subsidiaries

*Lumen Records (formerly Embryo Records) *Joyspring Records *Highway Records (formerly Lightwave Records) *Little Stream Records *Excel Motion Picture Distribution *Excel Retail Distribution

Seagull Book and Covenant Communications

In July 2006, Deseret Book threatened to discontinue sales with another LDS bookstore chain, Seagull Book & Tape, citing marketing differences. Seagull claimed that their discounted prices on Deseret Book's products was the reason for the threat. Seagull Book & Tape competed with Deseret Book's retail operation, but depended on the company's published work, which reportedly accounted for most of its sales. After some time, Deseret Book instead opted to renegotiate its distribution contract with Seagull. On December 28, 2006, it was announced that Deseret Book was buying both Seagull Book & Tape and the publisher Covenant Communications, from Lewis Kofford. Company officials said they intended to continue running all three businesses as separate entities.

Deseret Book imprints

After Deseret Book acquired

in 1999, it divided its publishing into four differently marketed imprints: Deseret Book for history and doctrine; Bookcraft for self-help, family, children, women's interests, and LDS fiction; Eagle Gate for art, niche markets, library editions, and teaching aides; and Shadow Mountain for "values-based" publications for a national audience. A decade later, the only imprints that remained in use were Deseret Book and Shadow Mountain. In 2012, the Ensign Peak imprint was created for LDS religious writings for a national audience. After acquiring Covenant Communications in 2006, Deseret Book Company did not make it an additional imprint, but continued its independent operations as a publisher alongside Deseret Book Publishing.

Shadow Mountain Records

The Shadow Mountain Records label primarily emphasizes values-based releases, with artists placing in top spots on the

Billboard Charts The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in '' Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...

, including

Jenny Oaks Baker Jenny Oaks Baker (born Jenny June Oaks; May 27, 1975) is a Grammy nominated American violinist and former member of the National Symphony Orchestra. She has released eighteen studio albums, several of which have topped or nearly topped ''Billboar ...

, a classical violinist, and Billboard #1 artist Josh Wright, a classical pianist. ;Hilary Weeks Hilary Weeks, a singer and songwriter of faith-based music with seven completed albums, was born in Colorado and raised in

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

. She is a member of

and is married with four daughters. Her solo career was launched in 1996 with "He Hears Me." Weeks has won multiple

Pearl Award :''This article deals with music's role in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints outside of the context of worship; for hymns, see The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hymns or for the hymnal Hymns of The Church of Jesus Chr ...

s. ;Other artists * Julie de Azevedo *

* Dallyn Vail Bayles *

Kurt Bestor Kurt Bestor (born 1958) is an American keyboardist and composer specializing in new-age, film scores, and jazz. He is known for his instrumental Christmas arrangements. His best-known songs are "Prayer of the Children", "Mama Don't You Weep". He is ...

Alex Boye Alex is a given name. It can refer to a shortened version of Alexander, Alexandra, Alexis. People Multiple * Alex Brown (disambiguation), multiple people * Alex Gordon (disambiguation), multiple people * Alex Harris (disambiguation), multiple ...

Paul Cardall Paul Cardall (born April 24, 1973) is an American pianist known for his original compositions and arrangements of various hymns. His music is frequently categorized as Classical, Christian and New Age. Cardall has had several recordings debut ...

Kenneth Cope Kenneth Charles Cope (born 14 April 1931) is an English retired actor and scriptwriter. He is best known for his roles as Marty Hopkirk in ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'', Jed Stone in ''Coronation Street'' and Ray Hilton in ''Brookside (T ...

* Eclipse 6 *

Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944), known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer, actress and businesswoman. A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys Kn ...

Jericho Road Jericho Road is a Latter-day Saint boy band that sings religious music. The band's members are Abe Mills (from St. Louis, Missouri), Dave Kimball (Sandy, Utah), Justin Smith (Parma, Idaho), and Bret Bryce (Knoxville, Tennessee). Biography The ba ...

* Michael McLean * Mercy River * David Osmond *Jenny Phillips * Josh Wright

Other business

Deseret Book operates further business units in addition to its publishing and retail activities. Under the name Zion's Mercantile it produces home decor and religious art and holds events such as women's conferences in the United States and Canada. ''LDS Living Magazine'' is an LDS lifestyle magazine in print and online. Deseret Book Direct sells publications through catalogs, e-mail, and the DeseretBook.com website. From 2000 to 2009 it also operated an auctions website for LDS books. Crafts and other handmade items are sold under the name of Mormon Handicraft (a brand purchased from the LDS Church's

in 1986) and food is sold through The Lion House Pantry brand. It also provides the texts of many of its books online with paid subscriptions at GospeLink.com. In 2009 selected Deseret Book locations partnered with the LDS Church Distribution Center and began selling official LDS Church items, such as

Temple garment A temple garment, also referred to as garments, the garment of the holy priesthood, or Mormon underwear, is a type of underwear worn by adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement after they have taken part in the endowment ceremony. Garments are ...

s, which had originally been available only in LDS Church Distribution Centers. That working relationship has expanded and now half of Deseret Book's 39 stores have been "integrated" and are half Deseret Book and half Distribution Centers.

References

External links

DeseretBook.comGospeLink - Deseret Book's online publication libraryDeseret Book's profile from its parent company, Deseret Management Corporation
*
Excel Entertainment Official website
— ''

Deseret Morning News The ''Deseret News'' () is the oldest continuously operating publication in the American west. Its multi-platform products feature journalism and commentary across the fields of politics, culture, family life, faith, sports, and entertainment. Th ...

'' {{Authority control Book publishing companies based in Utah Bookstores of the United States Christian publishing companies Companies based in Salt Lake City Deseret Management Corporation Mormon literature Publishing companies established in 1866 1866 establishments in Utah Territory

History

George Q. Cannon & Sons

Deseret News Bookstore

Deseret Book

Acquisitions

Bookcraft

Excel Entertainment Group

History

List of feature releases

Subsidiaries

Seagull Book and Covenant Communications

Deseret Book imprints

Shadow Mountain Records

Other business

References

Further reading

External links