Bookcraft, Inc
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Bookcraft was a major publisher of books and products for members of
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 Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...
(LDS Church).


History

In 1940, LDS Church
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
Heber J. Grant asked the church's '' Improvement Era'' magazine to compile his sermons into a book called ''Gospel Standards''. Compiler G. Homer Durham published it in 1941 as "An Improvement Era Publication", rather than through
Deseret Book Deseret Book () is an American publishing company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, that also operates a chain of bookstores throughout the western United States. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation (DMC), th ...
, the church's official book publisher. During production, Grant suggested that the magazine's staff should start a new LDS publishing company, separate from Deseret Book. In 1942, the ''Eras business manager, John Kenneth Orton, started Bookcraft as a private publishing house in
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...
,
Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...
. When Durham presented a later manuscript to the ''Era'', church leadership restricted book publishing to Deseret Book. John A. Widtsoe and Richard L. Evans, staff members of the ''Era'' and early supporters of Bookcraft, referred Durham to Orton's new publishing house. ''The Gospel Kingdom'', Durham's compilation of John Taylor's teachings, was Bookcraft's first major venture in 1943. Bookcraft remained an Orton family business. When John K. Orton retired to Arizona in 1946, Marvin Wallin became the company's general manager. When Orton died in 1959, ownership passed to his wife. When she died in 1980, the Ortons' son Russell took over with his sister-in-law, Diane Orton.


Growth

With growth, Bookcraft relocated to new facilities in 1947. In 1969, it moved again to a West Valley City location between Mountain States Bindery and Publisher's Press, the businesses that actually printed and produced Bookcraft's publications. Bookcraft expanded again into new facilities in 1977. Though independent, Bookcraft established itself as a quasi-official publisher of conservative, faith-promoting works, and was very careful to follow church leadership. Bookcraft eventually became large enough to compete with Deseret Book's lower publishing costs, and become the second largest LDS publisher. Over the years, Bookcraft innovated and tried new approaches to LDS publishing. In the 1960s, the company experimented with developing LDS
young adult fiction Young adult literature (YA) is typically written for readers aged 12 to 18 and includes most of the themes found in adult fiction, such as family dysfunction, substance abuse, alcoholism, and sexuality. It is characterized by simpler world build ...
. In 1968, Bookcraft hired George Bickerstaff as its first full-time publishing editor. In the early 1970s, it began the Parliament Press imprint for authors to self-publish their books. In 1992, Bookcraft began work with The Beehive Shuppan to translate some titles into Japanese. In 1995, Bookcraft produced ''The Book of Mormon Studybase'', a
digital library A digital library (also called an online library, an internet library, a digital repository, a library without walls, or a digital collection) is an online database of digital resources that can include text, still images, audio, video, digital ...
CD-ROM A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains computer data storage, data computers can read, but not write or erase. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold b ...
of books about '' The Book of Mormon'', and contributed to Infobases' ''LDS Collectors Library'' CD-ROM. Because Deseret Book was the largest LDS publisher and bookseller, independents like Bookcraft also distributed to national retailers like
B. Dalton B. Dalton Bookseller was an American retail bookstore chain founded in 1966 by Bruce Dayton, a member of the same family that operated the Dayton's department store chain. B. Dalton expanded to become the largest retailer of hardcover books i ...
,
Media Play Media Play was a chain of retail stores founded in 1992 by Musicland that sold VHS, DVDs, laserdiscs, music, electronics, toys, video games, anime, books, and board games similar to Hastings Entertainment, 2nd and Charles, and Half Price Boo ...
, and
Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble Booksellers is an American bookseller with the largest number of retail outlets in the United States. The company operates approximately 600 retail stores across the United States. Barnes & Noble operates mainly through its B ...
. For a time, Bookcraft even planned to create its own chain of retail bookstores.


Infobases acquisition

In 1997, Russell Orton sold Bookcraft to Infobases, makers of the popular ''LDS Collectors Library''
digital library A digital library (also called an online library, an internet library, a digital repository, a library without walls, or a digital collection) is an online database of digital resources that can include text, still images, audio, video, digital ...
since the early 1990s. Infobases
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
and
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
, Brad Pelo, assumed these same roles in the new Bookcraft, Inc., and
WordPerfect WordPerfect (WP) is a word processing application, now owned by Alludo, with a long history on multiple personal computer platforms. At the height of its popularity in the 1980s and early 1990s, it was the market leader of word processors, disp ...
founder Alan C. Ashton became chairman. With Bookcraft's licenses, the company released the ''Infobases PocketLibrary'' for
PalmPilot The PalmPilot Personal and PalmPilot Professional are the second generation of Palm PDA devices produced by Palm Inc (then a subsidiary of U.S. Robotics, later 3Com). These devices were launched on March 10, 1997. Accessories and pricing ...
in 1997, an electronic 25-book collection. To counter Deseret Book's ''GospeLink'' CD-ROM and website, Bookcraft released an expanded ''Infobases Collectors Library'' in 1998 on CD-ROM and on the new LDSWorld.com. Bookcraft then created online stores for its network of resellers, to counter Deseret Book's web sales. By 1999, Bookcraft was adding about 100 products annually to its catalog, including general authority titles, an important market shared only with Deseret Book. Bookcraft also had strong sales with titles by BYU professors, titles on church history and doctrine, and the bestselling '' The Work and the Glory'' series by Gerald N. Lund, which sold millions of copies.


Deseret Book merger

In early 1999, Bookcraft was acquired by
Deseret Management Corporation Deseret Management Corporation (DMC) () is an American operating company, managing select global, for-profit entities affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It was established in 1966 by church president D ...
(DMC), the parent company of the LDS Church's for-profit businesses. This allowed the church to expand in the larger "values-oriented" publishing market, and reduce translation costs of titles for international sale. The merger also brought more writings by general authorities under the church's ownership, allowing for electronic and print collaborations with other DMC entities (such as Deseret Book, the
Deseret News The ''Deseret News'' () is a multi-platform newspaper based in Salt Lake City, published by Deseret News Publishing Company, a subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation, which is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS ...
, 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 networ ...
) and church entities (such as
Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...
and other entities within 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 ...
). The Bookcraft brand name continued as an imprint for inspirational, self-help, youth and fiction titles, while doctrinal, historical and biographical works would be under the Deseret Book brand. Shadow Mountain was also created as a new imprint for "values-oriented" books in the national market, and Eagle Gate Press was created for specialty items such as library editions, art books and non-book products such as bookmarks and jewelry. DMC then formed World Media Inc. to oversee Bookcraft's electronic projects, and decide fate of Infobase products and GospeLink. A new ''Infobases Library'' was released in 1999, before merging into ''GospeLink'', to become ''GospeLink 2001''. The expanded collection was also at LDSWorld.com, along with new General Conference audio streaming, and was hosted by Millennial Star (MStar.net), the church's new ISP. The merger created a publisher with a dominant position in the LDS market. Over next few years, Deseret Book would also acquire Excel Entertainment Group (an LDS-oriented film and music company), Seagull Book & Tape (the next largest LDS-oriented bookstore chain), and Covenant Communications (the next largest LDS-oriented publisher). The Bookcraft imprint was eventually discontinued by Deseret Book Publishing and currently its only imprints in use are Deseret Book, Shadow Mountain, and Ensign Peak.


Notable work


Books

Before becoming an imprint of Deseret Book, Bookcraft made many notable contributions to LDS literature, including: * John A. Widtsoe, '' Evidences and Reconciliations'' (1943, 3 volumes) *
Hugh Nibley Hugh Winder Nibley (March 27, 1910 – February 24, 2005) was an American scholar and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) who was a professor at Brigham Young University (BYU) for nearly 50 years. He was a prolif ...
, '' No, Ma'am, That's Not History'' (1946) *
Hugh Nibley Hugh Winder Nibley (March 27, 1910 – February 24, 2005) was an American scholar and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) who was a professor at Brigham Young University (BYU) for nearly 50 years. He was a prolif ...
, ''Lehi in the Desert and the World of the Jaredites'' (1952) * W. Cleon Skousen, the Thousand Years Series (1953–66, 3 volumes) *
Joseph Fielding Smith Joseph Fielding Smith Jr. (July 19, 1876 – July 2, 1972) was an American religious leader and writer who served as the List of presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, tenth President of the Church (LDS Church), president ...
, ''Doctrines of Salvation'' (1954–56, 3 volumes) * Bruce R. McConkie, '' Mormon Doctrine'' (1958) * Duane Crowther, ''Prophecy: Key to the Future'' (1962) * Bruce R. McConkie, ''Doctrinal New Testament Commentary'' (1965–73, 3 volumes) * James R. Clark, ''Messages of the First Presidency'' (1965–75, 6 volumes) * Duane Crowther, ''Life Everlasting'' (1967) * Spencer W. Kimball, '' The Miracle of Forgiveness'' (1969) * Edward L. Kimball, ''Spencer W. Kimball'' (1977) * Boyd K. Packer, '' The Holy Temple'' (1980) * Stephen Covey, ''The Divine Center'' (1982) * Eugene England, ''Why the Church is as True as the Gospel'' (1986) * Bruce C. Hafen, ''The Believing Heart'' (1986) * Leonard J. Arrington, ''Mothers of the Prophets'' (1987) * Truman G. Madsen, ''Joseph Smith, the Prophet'' (1989) * Gerald N. Lund, '' The Work and the Glory'' series (1990–98) * ''The Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book'' (1997) The ''Teachings of the Latter-day Prophets'' series, compilations of teachings of LDS Church presidents, which included ''The Gospel Kingdom: Selections from the Writings and Discourses of John Taylor'', ''Discourses of Wilford Woodruff'', ''Teachings of Lorenzo Snow'', ''Teachings of George Albert Smith'', ''Teachings of Harold B. Lee'', ''Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball'', ''Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson'', and ''Teachings of Howard W. Hunter''. Bookcraft also published some works for
BYU Press Brigham Young University Press (BYU Press) was the university press of Brigham Young University (BYU). History Brigham Young University Press was formed in 1967 through the consolidation of BYU's various publishing activities into one central or ...
, the BYU Religious Studies Center, and the LDS Church.


Authors

During its years as an independent company, Bookcraft published books by many notable LDS figures, including: * LDS Church presidents and apostles: Ezra Taft Benson, Hugh B. Brown, J. Reuben Clark, Henry B. Eyring, Gordon B. Hinckley, Howard W. Hunter, Spencer W. Kimball, Harold B. Lee, Neal A. Maxwell, Bruce R. McConkie, David O. McKay, Dallin H. Oaks, Boyd K. Packer, Mark E. Petersen,
LeGrand Richards LeGrand Richards (February 6, 1886 – January 11, 1983) was a prominent missionary and leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He served as the seventh presiding bishop of the LDS Church from 1938 to 1952, an ...
,
Joseph Fielding Smith Joseph Fielding Smith Jr. (July 19, 1876 – July 2, 1972) was an American religious leader and writer who served as the List of presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, tenth President of the Church (LDS Church), president ...
, John A. Widtsoe * Fiction & literature: Gordon T. Allred, Susan Evans McCloud, Carol Lynn Pearson,
Jack Weyland Jack Arnold Weyland (born 1940) is a retired professor of physics at Brigham Young University–Idaho (BYU–Idaho) and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a prolific and well-known author of fiction for LDS audi ...
, Blaine M. Yorgason, Brenton G. Yorgason * Scholars & historians: Hyrum L. Andrus, Leonard J. Arrington, Milton V. Backman, Lowell L. Bennion, Susan Easton Black, Eugene England, Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Milton R. Hunter, Arthur Henry King, Daniel H. Ludlow, N. B. Lundwall, Truman G. Madsen, Robert J. Matthews, Joseph Fielding McConkie, Robert L. Millet, Hugh W. Nibley, Preston Nibley, Stephen E. Robinson, W. Cleon Skousen, Sidney B. Sperry, John W. Welch * Popular authors: Duane S. Crowther, Paul H. Dunn, George D. Durrant, Richard M. Eyre, Vaughn J. Featherstone, Bruce C. Hafen, Bryant S. Hinckley, Oscar W. McConkie, Chieko Okazaki, Marvin Payne, S. Michael Wilcox * National figures: Shawn Bradley,
Orson Scott Card Orson Scott Card (born August 24, 1951) is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. , he is the only person to have won a Hugo Award for Best Novel, Hugo Award and a Nebula Award for Best Novel, Nebula Award in List of joint ...
, Stephen R. Covey, Henry Eyring, Dale Murphy


Films

Some Bookcraft books have been adapted into movies. * ''The Christmas Wish'' (1998) — CBS made Richard M. Siddoway's novel into a made for TV holiday special. Originally a Bookcraft title, the latest edition was published by Crown Publishers. * ''In the Eye of the Storm'' (2001) — Director Mitch Davis bought the rights to John H. Groberg's 1993 memoir of his
Tonga Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands, of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in the southern Pacific Ocean. accordin ...
n mission and created '' The Other Side of Heaven'', which was distributed by
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
. * '' The Work and the Glory'' (2004–2006) — Gerald N. Lund's very successful
historical fiction Historical fiction is a literary genre in which a fictional plot takes place in the Setting (narrative), setting of particular real past events, historical events. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literatur ...
series about early Mormons was adapted into three movies: '' The Work and the Glory'' (2004), '' The Work and The Glory: American Zion'' (2005), and '' The Work and The Glory: A House Divided'' (2006), distributed by Excel Entertainment Group.


See also

* LDS fiction


References

{{Reflist, 2 Book publishing companies based in Utah Christian publishing companies Companies based in Salt Lake City Publishing companies established in 1942 Mormon literature Deseret Management Corporation 1942 establishments in Utah