Salt Lake-based Deseret Book Co. has created a new division that is designed to help it distribute products from a greater number of authors, artists and independent publishers.
The new division, called Deseret Book Distributors, will pursue published books, music and gift products to distribute to its wholesale retail network, largely catering to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"We have distributed non-Deseret Book-produced books before," but the company did not have a set strategy or program to do so, said Debby Simmons, inventory and distributed products manager.
The new division will look for products consistent with Deseret Book's mission of building individuals and families and with the values of the LDS Church, according to a press release.
"New customers to Deseret Book Distributors will benefit from our established retail-account relationships," Simmons said. "Our dealers and retail partners will benefit by receiving new products in an efficient and effective manner."
Deseret Book is a for-profit book vendor owned by the Deseret Management Corp., a holding company for businesses affiliated with the LDS Church.