The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the world-renowned scientific authority on birds, commemorated its 100-year anniversary with the founding of the Cornell Lab Publishing Group. The Cornell Lab advances scientific discoveries and inspires and engages more than 20 million people each year to connect with birds and the natural world. The Lab offers live webcams, cutting-edge bird identification apps, school programs, and participatory citizen- science programs aimed at nature enthusiasts, including more than 80 million Americans who enjoy, observe, photograph, or feed wild birds.*
This new trade publishing initiative furthers the Cornell Lab’s mission of nurturing new generations in the appreciation and care of birds, setting the stage for environmental custodianship. As birds resonate with people of all ages, they offer an instant portal to the natural world, fascinating and readily accessible. Our goal is to create emotional connections between people and nature through birds, whether that inspiration turns to lifelong birding as it often does, or simply to make them aware and more tuned to nature. Our tools are those of the trade, but also steeped in real science packaged in the most appealing ways—insightful storytelling, stunning illustration and photography, and fun, engaging activities. Books are distributed by Baker & Taylor Publishing Services.
Giving back is an essential element of the imprint and we are making every book sale count—35% of the net proceeds from every Cornell Lab Publishing Group book purchase will support projects such as children’s educational and community programs. Examples of these programs include the BirdSleuth K-12 curriculum used in classrooms across the hemisphere; Celebrate Urban Birds, which has worked with 9,000 community-based organizations, 88% of which reach underserved audiences; and Bird Cams, which brings live, close-up views of birds to millions into classrooms and homes around the world.
The publishing group is helmed by CEO Brian Scott Sockin. Brian has his MBA from the Wharton School of Business and an extensive background / career in consumer packaged goods client-side brand positions at Kraft Foods and C-level ownership and leadership agency side with Alba Kids Agency, Colangelo Synergy, and CoOptions, Inc. (current, which has designed and marketed Cornell Lab books since inception). Brian has also authored or co-authored 11 books (Warner / Hachette, Berkeley Putnam Penguin, Kensington, and the Cornell Lab Publishing Group).
* USA Today, March 2014