Publishing: Neal-Schuman Will Become an ALA Publishing Imprint Later This Week

From an ALA News Release:

American Library Association (ALA) President Molly Raphael and Neal-Schuman President Patricia Glass Schuman today announced that on Dec. 23, 2011, Neal-Schuman Publishers will become part of ALA Publishing.
Neal-Schuman Publishers, founded by John Vincent Neal and Patricia Glass Schuman in 1976, will continue to offer print and electronic publications under the well known imprint, but will join ALA Editions, TechSource and the new Huron Street Press under the ALA Publishing umbrella, which also includes ALA Digital Reference, Booklist Publications, American Libraries and ALA Graphics.
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“Jack Neal and I are extremely proud of the company we have built over the last 36 years, ” said Neal-Schuman co-founder Pat Schuman, who has served as both ALA president and treasurer. “We see ALA as a perfect home for Neal-Schuman, where the imprint can continue to grow and evolve, serving a new generation of librarians.”
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Over the next three months, ALA plans on relocating Neal-Schuman operations from New York City to Chicago. Neal-Schuman will continue to maintain a separate product line.
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“The Neal-Schuman imprint will enable the association to expand its publishing program and to bring in new revenue that will augment support for member programs and services,” said ALA Treasurer Jim Neal. “We need to find new financial sources to sustain and grow our capacity in legislative advocacy, public awareness, intellectual freedom, diversity and the full range of ALA priorities.” Neal also cited the rich potential for expanded international sales in Europe and Asia and the capacity to extend ALA’s electronic publishing capacity.
“Like libraries across the U.S., ALA has been challenged by the economic downturn,” according to Neal, “but thanks to careful stewardship of our resources over many decades, ALA remains fiscally strong. It is important for the Association to invest in its future to develop new markets and products and, thus, to better serve libraries and ALA members.”

Read the Complete Announcement

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