Institute of Publishing

At the first meeting of the Council of the Institute of Publishing in the New Year, the Chair reported on some very positive moves in hand to secure funding in order to set in motion a promotional marketing initiative and to produce the required documentation in time for the planned launch of the Institute in March. To date Pindar plc and Deloitte Touche have been positive in their support for the initiative and an approach has been made to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation to seek assistance with the set-up costs. A meeting was held between Sue Thompson and Rose Shaw Taylor of the Foundation and Colin Walsh, Chair of the Council of the Institute. The Foundation was concerned that enthusiastic support should be demonstrated by all facets of publishing, particularly from freelances working within, or with connections to, the publishing industry. The Society of Indexers has sent a cheque, a very welcome gesture of support. More such unsolicited generosity is urgently needed to get the Institute launched. The Chair of the ‘Society of Young Publishers’, Susanne Collier, has suggested that a meeting should be held to explain the aims of the Institute. One of the priority concerns of the Institute is to support young people trying to enter, or who have just entered, the industry, and will therefore be pleased to work in association with the Society of Young Publishers. The Membership Committee, under the leadership of Barbara Horn, has produced a draft membership application form and the Marketing Committee, supported by the enthusiasm of Susan Sandon of Random House and Wendy Tury of West Herts College, is working on preparations for the launch and the creation of an appropriate logo. Any queries concerning the Institute of Publishing should be addressed to an officer of the Council and addressed to: The Institute of Publishing, 45 East Hill, Wandsworth, London SW18 2QZ