The changing world of publishing

When he left the financial services industry in 1989 to join his father in a specialty bookbinding business, Jay Fairfield ’83 said there were signs of change in the book world, though few could imagine the Internet’s impact or the technological advancement in digital content. 

“Our business had to continue to serve customers in a declining print world, while at the same time evolve into other services to remain viable,” said Fairfield, CEO of the HF Group, the largest library and specialty binding firm in the country.

HF Group acquired or started related businesses in conservation, restoration, and digitizing of paper artifacts for museums, archives, libraries, and governments. A records management division operates offsite records, media, and data storage. HF also digitally prints and binds books for small publishers and self-publishers in the “on demand” market.

“In the ’80s, lots of creative work never got mass produced because of the publishing model. That has changed,” he said. “Last year there were more titles published than ever before, just many fewer copies per title and many millions more in e-reader format.”

Clients include many of the nation’s oldest, most prestigious academic, government, and public institutions, plus businesses and professional practices. During his more than 24 years with HF Group, Fairfield has applied communications, organization, and financial skills while learning the production and logistics sides of small business. He was an economics and business and political science major at Cornell, where he also played basketball for Paul Maaske, and golf.

He and his wife, Jayne, live in Chesterland, Ohio. They have sons in Chicago and Columbus, Ohio.