1. Proceedings’ Formal Decisions and Budget Costs:
The printing costs for the symposium ' proceedings are second only to the catering costs at most symposia. They are also a fixed cost that does not go away if there is a low attendance. Symposium planning committees often chose to minimize this cost selecting a softbound cover and having the authors provide the camera-ready materials. Therefore, only the addition of page number and typeset titles and author headings are required before printing.
The proceedings should be available to symposium registrants either at or before the symposium. Sending them out before hand will involve mailing costs and it is suggested that if this is the procedure to be followed that the recipient be charged for handling and postage. Having the complete proceedings ready far in advance to facilitate mailing in often a problem because of late-producing authors.
Post-symposium proceedings that include any late papers and written discussions, or transcriptions of the discussions or panel meetings can also be provided. This can be expensive and take considerable time and effort to complete. This is primarily because of the problem in collecting the discussions and authors’ replies after the symposium has concluded.
One option to provide the capture of the technical value of the discussions without the cost of recording and transcription is to tape all the sessions and have a set of tapes available for purchase. The expense of this approach is negligible.
Normally, authors should be instructed to use the two columns, reduced formal standard by SNAME in preparing their papers. The two columns are only slightly more difficult to prepare, make a professional presentation, and combined with reduction when printed make a high-quality document at very reasonable costs. If the symposium is a recurring one, the results of the last symposium with pictures, etc. can provide useful material in the pre-symposium or symposium proceedings of the next event.
Printing costs are directly related to the number of papers in the document, their size, extent of photographic material to be included, and the type of cover. The number of copies to be printed is of lesser importance.
2. Collection and Assembly of Proceedings:
Effective guidance from the Technical Committee to the authors and committee member monitoring of the progress for each individual paper is the key to getting the document ready for the printer in a timely manner. The period between the submittal of camera-ready work and the need to have a bound-copy of the proceedings for the symposium is crucial.
Typesetting of titles and authors' names for loaper headers and a title page and forward can usually be accomplished through a service the printer often uses or can be done elsewhere. The person collecting the papers for reprinting must be careful to note any changes in the titles and authors in the final manuscripts and reflect the same in the typeset titles and table of contents.
The final estimate of printing costs usually must wait until the entire manuscript is assembled so that the printer can estimate his costs from the number of camera-ready pages and number of photographs and graphics to be handled. Ideally, two or more printers should be available so selecting the lowest bid can minimize that price. This in difficult to accomplish unless ample time is made available for all papers to come in. Usually one or more authors are very late in responding to whatever date is chosen by the Symposium Steering Committee. It in also desirable to start a cover early since more lead-time in required to set it up.
3. Printing and Distribution of the Proceedings:
The actual time required for printing and binding by the printer is quite small. The queue time for the printer is something to consider, however. In heavy months, wait time can be significant. Generally, no problems should be encountered if a one-month period is allowed between the time when everything is given to the printer and to that when the final product is delivered.
A use of SNAME’s printer who can produce bound volumes and CD ROMS is recommended but a local printer is also very desirable. The option to pick up and deliver the proceedings to the symposium meeting facility in the case of delays may be helpful. Express delivery provides good service but in costly for the needed volume of materials.
