Print-on-demand (POD) has made publishing accessible for millions of authors and thousands of publishers, lowering the cost barrier and enabling small print runs of any size. But what if your book needs more than what you can get through POD? What if you need a different size, higher-quality paper, or sturdier binding?

For those considering publishing a high-quality or unique book (such as a coffee table book, photography or art collection, children’s board book, or any kind of book with special printing requirements), the St. Louis Publishers Association (SLPA) will host three publishers at a panel discussion on May 8 to share their experiences and insights in the book design and printing process.

Learn about high-quality book printing struggles and successes from:

Lindy Drew, co-author of the Humans of St. Louis book and co-founder of the Humans of St. Louis nonprofit, who traveled and worked throughout Latin America as a photojournalist after receiving her bachelor’s of science in biology at the University of Arizona and studying at the International Center of Photography. In Chile, she co-founded OJOS nuevos to teach young girls documentary photography with digital cameras. In Costa Rica, she was a staff photographer for the Tico Times. She then worked at Casa de Sueños in Phoenix, Arizona, reunifying unaccompanied, undocumented minors with their families in the U.S. Drew graduated from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis (where she co-founded Humans of St. Louis) in 2016 with master’s degrees in social work and public health. She has since led the team to produce visual stories that represent larger community conversations and development in the St. Louis region. Humans of St. Louis was one of the top-selling books in the region in 2022 and 2023, featured widely in local media, and chosen by local librarians as one of the best books of 2022.

Jim Harper, publisher and designer, who has spent 30 years in the branding and design industry. In 2014, he published his first book, Archibald’s Next Big Thing, a children’s book by actor Tony Hale (“Arrested Development,” “Veep”) and Tony Biaggne, and illustrated by Misty Manley and Victor Huckabee. In 2019, the book became a two-season show on Peacock and Netflix, where it can be watched today. In 2022, Harper collaborated with Chris Ryan, owner of Once Films in St. Louis, to form Fine Print Small Press and publish Tom Hück: The Devil Is in the Details: Prints 1995–2020 by Greg Kessler, head of the St. Louis Punk Archive and director of adult services at the Edwardsville, Illinois, Public Library. It is an artist retrospective about St. Louis native Hück, one of the world’s most prestigious printmakers, that was shot by Chris Ryan and designed by Harper, with concepts by both of them; a foreword by Blab! publisher Monte Beauchamp; and editing and consulting by the SLPA’s Andrew Doty of Editwright. In addition to his interest in publishing, Harper consults with agencies; is the CMO of Clementine’s Creamery in St. Louis; runs his own boutique design firm, Harper’s Bizarre; and runs a coffee roaster in Edwardsville called Plaid Coffee. He hopes to collaborate and make more tangible things that outlive him so his daughter will think he’s cool in the future.

Delores Eddington is a queer black creative based in Saint Louis who works as a full-time digital marketing designer and freelances as an illustrator in their free time. Their design work spans many media, including print and branding. They’ve been a featured designer/illustrator in AIGA STL Pride Month 2023 and participated in STL Design Week’s STILL CREATING poster expo.

Learn how these creatives designed and printed their works, and join the conversation with a robust Q&A!