Oryx Press Bought By Greenwood

Staff -- Library Journal, 11/27/2000

The rumors swirling around the possible sale of Phoenix publisher Oryx Press have finally been confirmed by the release last week of a statement from the purchaser, Greenwood Publishing Group. Though terms of the sale were not disclosed, the library, education, and reference publisher, founded by Phyllis Steckler in 1975, will join Greenwood's scholarly and reference imprints, among them Praeger, Bergin & Garvey, and Ablex . In announcing the purchase, Greenwood CEO and president Wayne Smith said, "We certainly intend to carry forward the high standards and dedication to excellence that Oryx has established, and fully intend to keep the Oryx name and publishing traditions alive and well at Greenwood." Oryx will function as an independent imprint under the Greenwood umbrella. "The creative team -- acquisitions and editorial development staff -- is staying on," Steckler told LJ, "and I will stay on as a consultant for one year, working on product development." Oryx is among the last of the small independent reference publishers to succumb to conglomerate fever.