Colophon

Colophon

Our look is the result of reader comments, our own experimentation, and feedback from distribution channels. Distinctive covers complement our distinctive approach to technical topics, breathing personality and life into potentially dry subjects.

The animal featured on the cover of Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, Third Edition, is a polar bear (Ursus maritimus). Polar bears live primarily on the icy shores of Greenland and northern North America and Asia. They are very strong swimmers and rarely venture far from the water. The largest land carnivore, male polar bears weigh from 770 to 1,400 pounds. Female polar bears are much smaller, weighing 330 to 550 pounds. The preferred meal of polar bears is ringed seals and bearded seals. When seals are unavailable, the bears will eat fish, reindeer, birds, berries, and trash.

Polar bears are, of course, well adapted to living in the Arctic Circle. Their black skin is covered in thick, water-repellent, white fur. Adult polar bears are protected from the cold by a layer of blubber that is more than four inches thick. They are so well insulated, in fact, that overheating can be a problem. For this reason they move slowly on land, taking frequent breaks. Their large feet spread out their substantial weight, allowing them to walk on thin ice surfaces that animals weighing far less would break through. Because food is available year-round, most polar bears don't hibernate. Pregnant females are the exception, and the tiny one to one and a half pound cubs are born during the hibernation period.

Polar bears have no natural enemies. Their greatest threat comes from hunting, but in the past 15 years, most governments have placed strict limits on hunting polar bears. Their population has more than doubled in that time and is now estimated to be between 21,000 and 28,000. They are not considered to be endangered. They are extremely aggressive and dangerous animals. While many bears actively avoid human contact, polar bears tend to view humans as prey. In encounters between humans and polar bears, the bear almost always wins.

The cover image is from a 19th-century engraving from the Dover Pictorial Archive. The cover font is Adobe ITC Garamond. The text font is Linotype Birka; the heading font is Adobe Myriad Condensed; and the code font is LucasFont's TheSans Mono Condensed.

About the Authors

Considered one of the founders of the field, Lou Rosenfeld works as an independent information architecture consultant, helping such clients as Accenture, Caterpillar, the CDC, Ford, Microsoft, and the NCAA develop information architecture strategies and in-house expertise. Lou cofounded industry leader Argus Associates in 1990 and was its president from 1993-2001. He played a leading role in creating ASIS&T's successful series of annual information architecture summits and cofounded the field's professional association, the Information Architecture Institute, as well as UXnet, the User Experience Network.

Lou's recent work includes founding Rosenfeld Media, a publishing house focused on user experience books. He also teaches his popular seminars on enterprise information architecture in six cities yearly.

Lou has an advanced degree in information and library studies from the University of Michigan, where he has also taught graduate courses. Lou lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife, Mary Jean Babic, their daughter, Iris, and Schwa the cat. He blogs at www.louisrosenfeld.com

Peter Morville ([e-mail]) is president and founder of Semantic Studios, a leading information architecture and strategy consultancy. Since 1994, he has played a major role in shaping the modern practice of information architecture design. As chief executive officer of Argus Associates (1994-2001), Peter helped build one of the world's most respected information architecture firms, serving clients such as AT&T, Barron's, Ernst & Young, HP, IBM, L. L. Bean, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Vanguard, and the Weather Channel. An internationally distinguished speaker, Peter provides keynotes and seminars on such topics as user experience, knowledge management, and findability. His work has been featured in many publications including Business Week, Fortune, MSNBC, and the Wall Street Journal.

Peter holds an advanced degree in library and information science from the University of Michigan, where he now teaches a popular graduate course.