Comments on: Signature

By: DavidH

DavidH — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 03:13:26 +0000

Was Sheri the one who decided to not carry Signature books across the board? I can see how some of their books would be offensive to some LDS, but many of their books are not.

I am glad that Deseret Books does not control the BYU library (or at least I hope it does not).

By: Kaimi

Kaimi — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 02:54:46 +0000

:) :) :)

By: Kristine

Kristine — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 02:53:49 +0000

I just made a belated New Year’s Resolution not to use emoticons. Or at least not to use two in a single comment. Ugh!

By: Kristine

Kristine — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 02:52:45 +0000

David, Sheri Dew has made an explicit pledge that nothing in Deseret Book stores will offend customers. (I believe the pledge was made in response to outcry over some Christmas book that had an adulterous affair as part of its plotline, and not to anything Signature had published). Clearly, it’s not working, because I’m offended by plenty of things there, but I don’t think I’m their target demographic :)

Yet another way Mormons are better than Catholics–we still have a Nihil Obstat certification :) (Who says women don’t have any institutional power in the Church?)

By: DavidH

DavidH — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 02:40:28 +0000

I was not aware that Deseret Book refuses to carry publications of Signature Books. I know that it has been many years since the Deseret Books I have visited have carried Dialogue or Sunstone. (I wonder if Deseret Books sees part of its mission as a sort of secondary correlation committee–if a publisher or publication is perceived as offending certain church members, it is boycotted by Deseret Book.)

My understanding is that 7th East Press bit the dust when BYU stopped allowing it to be distributed on campus (and may not have the facts exactly straight on that). I wonder how much of an effect on Signature’s sales the decision of Deseret Book had.

By: BHodges

BHodges — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:38:45 +0000

What will become of Metcalfe’s Book of Abraham project I wonder.

By: Kent (MC)

Kent (MC) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:29:01 +0000

I don’t know if there will really be much of a loss of scholarship since Kofford has been filling that role lately (and less expensively too if I understand correctly). I see Kofford publishing most of the books that Signature used to publish and best of all shedding the negative rep that Signature had/has.

By: David G.

David G. — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:38:22 +0000

This is indeed somber news. While I am critical of Signature’s insularism and, at times, lack of professionalism, I recognize that they fill a crucial niche in Mormon studies. If this is a long-term issue we will be poorer because of it.

By: Kent Larsen

Kent Larsen — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:35:14 +0000

Clark, I believe you are correct. As I understand it, George Smith is or has been wealthy enough to keep Signature afloat, and it is certainly possible that his investments haven’t done well because of the crisis.

And you are correct about Signature filling an important role, IMO. I wonder if some of the things that have been said about them by the more conservative in Mormondom haven’t pushed them farther from the mainstream.

AND, I can’t forget to mention that Deseret Book has refused to carry Signature’s books for more than 5 years (probably more than 7 by now). In my view this kind of shunning of a company producing valuable works is inexcusable from both a business standpoint (smacks of DB trying to use its near monopoly power. It isn’t in their financial best interest in any way that I can see) and from the Church’s standpoint.

This is another blow to an already damaged and divided marketplace for LDS ideas and products.

By: Clark

Clark — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:00:45 +0000

Didn’t Signature always lose money? Perhaps the financial crisis has hit those donating to Signature to keep it afloat.

One thing folks forget is that there isn’t a large market for more academic oriented LDS books. We love them but it’s hard to recoup costs. Yes there have been new entries into the field including many more books from various university presses plus Kofford filling a nice niche between Signature and Deseret. But despite my criticism of some Signature volumes they have been invaluable in providing stuff that no one else is putting out.