Publishing and publishers, USA

Early Psalters, Hymnals, and Tunebooks During the 17th and 18th centuries American printers tended to be non-specialist, doing whatever type of printing came their way, whether newspapers, broadsides, government documents, educational textbooks, general interest books, or religious items. Authors, compilers, booksellers, or churches contracted with a printer to provide religious materials. The printer was paid by the person or group who contracted for the publication, and the latter received any profits or sustained any losses from the sale of the item. At this time there was no such thing as a denominational publishing house, and the role of publisher was often taken by a...