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Product Development Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Apr. 30, 2017 | Apr. 30, 2016
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Product Development Assets [Abstract] |  |
Product development assets | $ 99,275 | $ 72,126
Book Composition Costs [Member] |  |
Product Development Assets [Abstract] |  |
Product development assets | 28,884 | 34,697
Accumulated amortization | 172,600 | 179,600
Royalty Advances [Member] |  |
Product Development Assets [Abstract] |  |
Product development assets | 28,320 | 31,182
Other Product Development Costs [Member] |  |
Product Development Assets [Abstract] |  |
Product development assets | 42,071 | 6,247
Accumulated amortization | 26,400 | $ 19,700
Other Product Development Costs [Member] | Atypon Systems Inc [Member] |  |
Product Development Assets [Abstract] |  |
Product development assets | $ 28,000 |

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- Definition Product development assets consist of composition costs and royalty advances to authors. Composition costs, primarily represent the costs incurred to bring an edited commercial manuscript to publication including typesetting, proofreading, design and illustration, etc. Royalty advances to authors are capitalized and, upon publication, are recovered as royalties earned by the authors based on sales of the published works. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Accumulated amortization of other deferred costs capitalized at the end of the reporting period. Does not include deferred finance costs, deferred acquisition costs of insurance companies, or deferred leasing costs for real estate operations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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