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About Us At the Heart of a Literary Movement It's tucked away in a corner office of a landmark library, in the heart of that might be called "Literary Row," where the New Yorker once flourished, where the Roundtable crew used to spike their drinks with wit. At 20 West 44th Street, in the library of The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen, the Small Press Center ticks to the rhythm of an important literary movement. As major publishing houses are consolidating, contracting, and groaning under the weight of returns and operating costs, small independent publishers are thriving. Driven primarily by a desire to publish what interests them, what they believe in, this dedicated group is growing rapidly. Publishers Weekly estimates that 7,000-plus new publishers come into being every year. A conservative estimate of the small independent across the country: 50,000. And yet, the desire to do their own thing is not without financial reward. Some fail or get by on a shoestring, of course. But Barnes and Noble notes that purchases from the top 10 publishers declined to 46% from the 74% figure it had been three years back. The shift has been to independents, small publishers and university presses. To provide information and draw public awareness to the offerings of these presses, the Small Press Center has been hard at work since 1984. Founded by Whitney North Seymour, Jr., the Small Press Center was his response, as a small publisher, to a need for small and independent publishers for support for their energy, imagination, and commitment, and for an exchange of ideas and techniques to make their job easier. As Mr. Seymour puts it, "In today's environment, the personal computer and desktop publishing are almost universally available, particularly in this country. Individuals who want self-employment and want a creative challenge, who love books, who want to bring to the public the ideas of talented writers and artists that large publishing houses may, for one reason or another, eschew, may well find a niche as a small press." Today, with modest funding, two full-time employees and a cadre of volunteers, the Small Press Center 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. Along with co-sponsor Publishers Marketing Association, the Small Press Center is declaring March to be Small Press Month. As part of this observation, libraries and bookstores across the country are displaying posters, sponsoring talks and workshops, and conducting a host of other activities to draw attention to small presses. The Small Press Center holds a series of workshops - led by outstanding publishing personnel, the series is designed to help writers, aspiring publishers, publishers, marketing staffers, and anyone who is intrigued with the challenge of entrepreneurial publishing. The Small Press Center is part of the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen, a 501(c) (3) non-profit educational organization.
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