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Lorimer Receives Gray Campbell Award
Vancouver, March 12, 2008:
For all of his contribution to the book publishing industry in BC, The Association of Book Publishers of BC (ABPBC) is pleased to present the Gray Campbell Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Rowland Lorimer for his outstanding contribution to our industry.
The Gray Campbell Distinguished Service Award is presented annually by the Association of Book Publishers of BC to recognize the importance of the many individuals who comprise the book industry; their energy and creativity are essential to the continued creation and dissemination of books that tell our stories.
The award is made in the name of Gray Campbell who, with his wife Eleanor Campbell, pioneered regional publishing with Gray's Publishing, which he established in 1962. Gray's went on to publish many significant books including Doukhobor Daze, The Dangerous River, The Pacific Gardener and The Salmon People. Gray Campbell had a feel for a good story and an instinct for ferreting out important manuscripts. Gray's Publishing is perhaps best known for M. Wylie Blanchet's The Curve of Time, a much beloved BC classic; George Clutesi's fables of the Tse-Shaht People, Son of Raven, Son of Deer; and Wildflowers of British Columbia by Lewis J. Clark which remains the definitive guide to BC's flora.
Gray Campbell demonstrated that books by our writers about our people, resources, history and literature are culturally important and economically viable. He paved the way for the many fine publishers operating in British Columbia today. In June 2000, the BC book industry, his many friends, family and colleagues were deeply saddened to learn that Gray Campbell had passed away. The ABPBC hopes this award will continue to honour his legacy.
In the Toronto-centred Canadian publishing world, suggesting that a national centre for studies of the industry be established on the west coast of Canada was a provocative and audacious idea. Dr. Rowland Lorimer, Professor of Communications at Simon Fraser University, proposed just that and in 1987 became the Canadian Centre for Studies in Publishing's (CCSP) founding Director. Housed at Simon Fraser University, CCSP is "dedicated to the development of publishing in Canada and internationally";. With the establishment of such an important institution in British Columbia, Lorimer shifted the focus for Canadian publishing westward attracting scholars, researchers, students and fellow publishers to our backyard and invigorating our community in the process.
Dr. Rowland Lorimer has worked quietly and behind the scenes but he has had a considerable impact on the book publishing industry in the province. His work at the CCSP has provided important research on the industry, which has led to essential government support for the BC publishers. As well his work has provided the industry with a better understanding of our markets, book-buying habits and business practices. As a professor of Communications and founder of the Masters in Publishing program at SFU, he has fostered a generation of publishing students providing educated, bright, savvy and knowledgeable publishing professionals to our companies. He is an innovative researcher who early recognized that database software would revolutionize how publishers run their businesses. He didn't just write scholarly papers on the subject but was directly involved in the development of PExOd (The Publishers Extensible Online Database), working with publishers on the ground to ensure its value to the industry. As a scholar he has produced over 50 articles and 30 commissioned report, 5 books as well as articles and contributions to multi-media projects.
-- Association of Book Publishers of B.C.
For all of his contribution to the book publishing industry in BC, The Association of Book Publishers of BC (ABPBC) is pleased to present the Gray Campbell Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Rowland Lorimer for his outstanding contribution to our industry.
The Gray Campbell Distinguished Service Award is presented annually by the Association of Book Publishers of BC to recognize the importance of the many individuals who comprise the book industry; their energy and creativity are essential to the continued creation and dissemination of books that tell our stories.
The award is made in the name of Gray Campbell who, with his wife Eleanor Campbell, pioneered regional publishing with Gray's Publishing, which he established in 1962. Gray's went on to publish many significant books including Doukhobor Daze, The Dangerous River, The Pacific Gardener and The Salmon People. Gray Campbell had a feel for a good story and an instinct for ferreting out important manuscripts. Gray's Publishing is perhaps best known for M. Wylie Blanchet's The Curve of Time, a much beloved BC classic; George Clutesi's fables of the Tse-Shaht People, Son of Raven, Son of Deer; and Wildflowers of British Columbia by Lewis J. Clark which remains the definitive guide to BC's flora.
Gray Campbell demonstrated that books by our writers about our people, resources, history and literature are culturally important and economically viable. He paved the way for the many fine publishers operating in British Columbia today. In June 2000, the BC book industry, his many friends, family and colleagues were deeply saddened to learn that Gray Campbell had passed away. The ABPBC hopes this award will continue to honour his legacy.
In the Toronto-centred Canadian publishing world, suggesting that a national centre for studies of the industry be established on the west coast of Canada was a provocative and audacious idea. Dr. Rowland Lorimer, Professor of Communications at Simon Fraser University, proposed just that and in 1987 became the Canadian Centre for Studies in Publishing's (CCSP) founding Director. Housed at Simon Fraser University, CCSP is "dedicated to the development of publishing in Canada and internationally";. With the establishment of such an important institution in British Columbia, Lorimer shifted the focus for Canadian publishing westward attracting scholars, researchers, students and fellow publishers to our backyard and invigorating our community in the process.
Dr. Rowland Lorimer has worked quietly and behind the scenes but he has had a considerable impact on the book publishing industry in the province. His work at the CCSP has provided important research on the industry, which has led to essential government support for the BC publishers. As well his work has provided the industry with a better understanding of our markets, book-buying habits and business practices. As a professor of Communications and founder of the Masters in Publishing program at SFU, he has fostered a generation of publishing students providing educated, bright, savvy and knowledgeable publishing professionals to our companies. He is an innovative researcher who early recognized that database software would revolutionize how publishers run their businesses. He didn't just write scholarly papers on the subject but was directly involved in the development of PExOd (The Publishers Extensible Online Database), working with publishers on the ground to ensure its value to the industry. As a scholar he has produced over 50 articles and 30 commissioned report, 5 books as well as articles and contributions to multi-media projects.
-- Association of Book Publishers of B.C.
Submitted on March 22, 2008 in By David.
