Karin Taylor, who served for over twenty years as executive director of the New York Center for Independent Publishing (NYCIP), formerly the Small Press Center, was laid off last week, a move prompted by the deteriorating economy. Leah Schnelbach, who had been assistant director, will take the helm in the interim until the position is filled permanently.
“Like many nonprofit organizations, the GSMT is in a very severe fiscal crunch due to the current economic crisis,” wrote Daniel Walkowitz, president of the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesman (GSMT), the nonprofit organization that provides NYCIP’s funding, in a letter to NYCIP members. Although it was “a very painful decision,” he added, the GSMT “had no other choice but to lay off the position of the director of the NYCIP.” Walkowitz indicated that despite budget woes, GSMT is committed to continuing its support of the center.
Schnelbach, who is now the sole NYCIP staff member, assisted by an intern and freelancers, told Publishers Weekly that GSMT plans to search for a new executive director. She also said that NYCIP would go forward with all of its planned programs for 2009, including sponsorship of Small Press Month events in March and the New York Roundtable Writers Conference in April.
