Departure of Taylor Worries Indie Press Community

By Calvin Reid -- Publishers Weekly, 2/5/2009 8:28:00 AM

Karin Taylor, executive director of the nonprofit New York Center for Independent Publishing, was laid off last week, a victim of the current economic crisis. Leah Schnelbach, assistant director of the NYCIP, has been asked to serve as interim NYCIP director. Taylor had been the executive director of NYCIP (formerly called the Small Press Center) for more than 20 years. Clive Beasly, executive director of the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen, the nonprofit educational and cultural organization that provides NYCIP’s funding, blamed Taylor’s departure on a “murderous economy that has taken a toll on positions.” 

The departure of Taylor caught much of the indie press community by surprise and raised concerns about the future of the Center for Independent Publishing's future. In a letter sent to NYCIP supporters, GSMT president Daniel Walkowitz, called Taylor’s departure “a very painful decision,” but also pointed to the economic crisis. “Like many nonprofit organizations,” Walkowitz wrote, “the GSMT is in a very severe fiscal crunch due to the current economic crisis,” and “had no other choice but to layoff the position of the director of the NYCIP.” He emphasized, however, that despite budgetary problems the GSMT remains committed to the continuation of NYCIP and its programs. Among its most prominent programs, NYCIP sponsors the Small Press Book Fair in March, the New York Round Table Writers Conference in August and in the last year launched Splat! A Graphic Novel Symposium.

In a phone interview, Schnelbach said the NYCIP was on schedule to host all its 2009 programs. Schnelbach is currently the NYCIP’s only full staffer. She has help from an intern, but said she would selectively add freelance staff to help support programs and events as needed. She also said the GSMT will conduct a search for a new executive director.