MAIN NEWS HEADLINES
May 24- May 31, 2007 Edition
Small Press Center
Changes Name,
Broadens Scope
NEW YORK, NY/5/23/2007–The New York-based Small Press Center will officially re-launch itself under a new name May 31 at BookExpoAmerica. The organization, now be called New York Center for Independent Publishing (NYCIP), will unveil new membership benefits and an expanded calendar of events, in an effort to be the place where independent publishers network with industry insiders and hone their competitive skills. As part of the launch at BookExpo, NYCIP will conduct several programs on the future of independent publishing.
Attorney and literary agent Lloyd Jassin is executive director of the organization, which was founded in 1984.
As major publishing houses are consolidating, contracting, and groaning under the weight of returns and operating costs, small independent publishers are thriving, according to the NYCIP. An estimated 7,000-plus new publishers are founded every year and now total about 50,000 across the U.S. Interestingly, the CIP says Barnes and Noble has noted that purchases from the top 10 publishers declined to 46% from the 74% share of three years back. The shift has been to independents, small publishers and university presses, says Lloyd Jassin.
To provide information and draw public awareness to the offerings of these presses, the NYCIP sponsors an annual book fair, has regular readings by small press authors, mounts theme exhibits in its windows and bookcases, and offers impressive catalogues of small press books. With modest funding, the Center has two full-time employees and a host of volunteers. Its website is now http://www.nycip.org/.
