Lependorf to Head CLMP

Its been a busy year for the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses, a service organization for independent literary book publishers and magazines. When its director left after less than one year on the job, CLMP had to find a new one, while also launching a bevy of information and publishing services for small independent publishers.

Jeffrey Lependorf, a noted composer who previously also worked as a consultant to CLMP, has been named the new director. Lependorf plans to broaden CLMP's funding base, only about 5% of which comes from member dues. The bulk of the organization's funds comes from grants. In addition, CLMP has launched a Web site and started New Readers for New Writers, a program that helps literary magazine publishers target booksellers.

"We feel Lependorf brings the organizational skills, fund-raising background and vision we need to serve literary presses and magazines in this country," said Paul Yamazaki, CLMP board chairman and coordinating buyer of City Lights bookstore in San Francisco.

Lependorf replaces Peggy Randall, who left CLMP to pursue other interests. Before joining CLMP in 2000, Randall was associate publisher of the Nation magazine. Under her stewardship, the council unveiled its new Web site (www.clmp.org) and accepted the Camden Online Poetry Project, Poetry Daily and Frigate as its first online publishing members. Yamazaki credited Randall with generally raising CLMP's profile and reconnecting the organization to its members.

New Readers for New Writers, funded by the Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds, will offer literary magazines discounted contracts with nonprofit wholesaler Small Press Distribution. With several distributors going out of business over the past few years, said Yamazaki, it has become even harder for literary journals to get into bookstores. In addition to targeting booksellers, the program has an online sales arm geared toward individual buyers. Theliterarymagazinekiosk.com is a virtual newsstand stocked with 50 magazines ranging from such established journals as Kenyon Review to new publications such as 3rd Bed.

Yamazaki stressed the importance of aiding independent literary publishers: "Part of my awareness as a bookseller is how many really significant authors were introduced to the literary public by independent magazines and presses," said Yamazaki.