“Game changer”: Schlager Group Transforms its Publishing Business with NOVA
How one independent publisher built a new primary revenue stream and forged customer relationships in two years.
Schlager Group, a leading primary sources publisher, partnered with Newgen to launch its Digital Library on the NOVA platform and transform into a collection-first business. In just two years, that partnership reshaped the independent publisher and created a new primary revenue stream. “It opened up an entirely new business model for us” says Neil Schlager, Founder and CEO, Schlager Group.
An indirect relationship with customers
Formerly working through aggregators, Schlager Group did not own the majority of its customer relationships. Neil Schlager describes the experience as “a black box – we didn’t know who was buying, what they were buying, or why“.
In addition, like many independent publishers in a transforming market, Schlager Group needed to grow and diversify its revenue.
The vision was clear: launch a digital collection on a publisher-controlled platform, take back customer relationships and open new growth channels.
Securing the right platform was key.
NOVA + Newgen: a cutting-edge platform and deep publishing expertise
Schlager Group was looking for a partner – one that offered a flexible platform, met accessibility standards and understood the evolving content technology landscape.
Newgen matched on every count. NOVA is a configurable platform tailored for independent publishers, meets rigorous accessibility standards and offers a wide range of authentication pathways. The platform offers a cost-effective solution for distribution of books, journals and a range of digital content.
Crucially, this partnership combines a new platform with deep publishing expertise: “NOVA is a cutting-edge platform but Newgen has a long legacy in the publishing business. It’s the best combination” says Neil.
Early success
Setup took only six weeks, and going live was an exciting turning point that meant the Schlager team could immediately start building out customer relationships.
The collaboration was soon delivering technical wins. Initial content migration was straightforward, and shortly after launch, Schlager Group asked Newgen to disaggregate its ebooks and open up content for customers. This was done quickly and seamlessly, representing a huge shift towards digital-first publishing.
Game-changing new revenue channel
Two years on from launching the Schlager Digital Library on NOVA, the results are in, and business has transformed:
“It’s been a game changer. Our digital collection went from zero to our biggest revenue channel in two years. More importantly, we now hold direct relationships with customers. That wouldn’t have been possible without NOVA” – Neil Schlager, Founder and CEO, Schlager Group
Those new customer relationships have created a virtuous loop between the collection, the library, and faculty that feeds back into the publisher – it has transformed the business, and Schlager Group is now a truly digital, collection-first organisation.
“There aren’t many publishers that have seen as much transformation as we have in the last two years. That’s really all down to the platform. The partnership with Newgen has been huge for us; they’re really designed to work with companies our size” – Neil Schlager, Founder and CEO, Schlager Group.
A partnership bringing new opportunities
For the first time, Schlager Group has consortia deals on the table – where NOVA’s accessibility standards and authentication pathways are key – alongside a transition to XML-first workflows and plans for global expansion.
As an ambitious, growing content business, Schlager Group wanted a platform partner who could grow with them and navigate an evolving technical landscape. The publisher is currently deploying RAG-based search, and the product roadmap is top of mind. This is where a collaborative, customer-first platform partner pays dividends:
“We are thinking about AI-enhanced content delivery every day. We’re very fortunate to be with Newgen. They put us on the same playing field as the largest publishers” – Neil Schlager, Founder and CEO, Schlager Group.
The partnership between Schlager Group and Newgen models what’s possible for publishers who own customer relationships.
Learn more at newgen.co/nova.
Want to discuss what NOVA could do for your business? Contact jo@newgen.co
