BookCAMP adds Brian O’Leary as quarterly columnist after BISG retirement

BookCAMP by Printed Word Reviews says former BISG executive director Brian O’Leary will write a new quarterly column after retiring June 30, 2026. The move gives the magazine a high-profile industry voice focused on publishing operations, supply chain issues and technology pressure points.

Why it matters: - Brian O’Leary spent 10 years as executive director of the Book Industry Study Group, where he served as a key diplomat across publishers, printers, distributors and retailers. - His move to BookCAMP gives the magazine a veteran voice on the operational issues shaping modern publishing. - The new column is aimed at independent publishers and other industry readers looking for practical guidance on infrastructure, metadata and market execution.

What happened: - BookCAMP by Printed Word Reviews announced that Brian O’Leary will join the magazine as a quarterly columnist. - O’Leary retired as BISG executive director in June 2026. - Ted Olczak, publisher of Printed Word Reviews, framed the hire as a major editorial win and said O’Leary can now speak with more candor after leaving his BISG role. - O’Leary’s first post-retirement interview was captured within hours of his retirement, and the conversation will be released in three installments. - O’Leary’s debut column will appear in the upcoming issue of BookCAMP magazine. - More information is available in BookCAMP magazine’s announcement.

The details: - The new column will be called Friction Factors. - The column is expected to focus on global sales, BISAC, AI crossroads and tech stack realities. - O’Leary said he wants to address key industry issues, help publishers move away from outdated habits and build more resilient paths to market. - BookCAMP is published five times annually by Ted Olczak. - Printed Word Reviews describes BookCAMP as a business and marketing ecosystem for independent authors, hybrid publishers and publishers. - O’Leary is a Harvard Business School graduate and former Time Inc. executive. - Before BISG, O’Leary ran Magellan Media, a consulting firm that worked with book, magazine and association publishers on content workflows.

Between the lines: - O’Leary’s retirement removes the institutional constraints that came with representing the full publishing ecosystem at BISG. - BookCAMP is positioning the column as blunt, hands-on coverage of the hidden operational frictions that can affect revenue and market performance. - The emphasis on metadata, supply chain and tech systems suggests the magazine is targeting problems that are often overlooked in broader publishing coverage.

What's next: - Readers will see O’Leary’s first BookCAMP column in the magazine’s upcoming issue. - The three-part interview series will roll out after the initial post-retirement conversation. - Future columns are expected to appear quarterly and continue the focus on publishing operations and market infrastructure.

The bottom line: - BookCAMP is betting that O’Leary’s post-BISG candor will give publishers a sharper read on the business mechanics that drive book sales and operational efficiency.