Why print publications at all?

We have been asked why ANR still prints publications at all. Why not put everything on the Web? Here are some of our reasons:

Availability. Printed publications are the only way for us to reach many Californians. According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, in 2009

31% of California farms did not have Internet access
86% of California farms did not access any information on USDA, NASS, or other federal government Web sites

Research from the Public Policy Institute of California shows that in 2009

24% of Californians did not use the Internet at home, work, or elsewhere
23% of rural residents did not use the Internet
47% of Latino, immigrant, less-educated, and lower-income groups did not use the Internet, and 61% did not have broadband

Printed publications still play a key role in making sure our Strategic Initiatives reach the people of California who do not use the Internet.

Popularity. People continue to buy our printed publications. In January 2010, over 2,000 of our books found homes, and that comprised just the top ten titles.

Photo accuracy. Our printed publications present color photographs and other visual information with more accuracy and clarity than is possible on the Web. Accurate color is critical in many diagnostic settings, such as evaluating yellowing, reddening, greening, browning, or blackening on leaves or fruit. Colors vary on computer monitors and other digital devices more than they do in print.

Ease of use. Many of our publications are intended to be used in classrooms, workshops, or other group settings in which the material must be available in a physical format. For example, a class may need to fill in information, cut out items, or share text or graphics in group discussions. Although online publications can be printed out for this use, it can be more economical, efficient, and effective to use preprinted versions.