New Structure Established Across LJ, SLJ, PW
-- Library Journal, 01/27/2009
- Restructuring follows layoffs; magazines maintain editorial identity
- Fialkoff, Kenney remain editors-in-chief of LJ, SLJ
- Kenney named editorial director of all three publications
Responding to the economic downturn, Ron Shank, Group Publisher of Library Journal, School Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly, has created a new management structure at the Publishing Division, naming Brian Kenney, SLJ Editor-in-Chief, as Editorial Director for the group.
Kenney, a librarian and former LJ Executive Editor, is charged with building a new team structure across all three magazines. He will retain his title and role at SLJ, while Francine Fialkoff, Editor-in-Chief of LJ, will continue in that post, working with Kenney as a key team strategist. Each publication will retain its editorial identity.
"Kenney's mission," said Shank, "will be to work with the group to maximize the opportunities of digital publishing and elevate quality content for the greatest exposure."
Changes, layoffs
Among other changes taking place, the group will suspend publication of Críticas, the twice monthly online newsletter for reviews in English of Spanish-language titles. Plans are underway to continue coverage of Spanish books in the existing publications.
The moves were announced in the wake of staff layoffs at parent company Reed Business Information dictated by the declining advertising market, the company said in a statement. Among those leaving LJ are long-time, valued staffers Ann Burns, Book Review Associate Editor; Ann Kim, Special Projects Editor; Lynn Blumenstein, Senior Editor, Library Hotline; and Aida Bardales, Críticas Senior Editor.
Library Hotline will continue as a co-publication of LJ and SLJ. Please send news/people/product news for Hotline to the LJ and SLJ news teams, including Mike Rogers (mrogers@reedbusiness.com), Norman Oder (noder@reedbusiness.com) and Josh Hadro (josh.hadro@reedbusiness.com) at LJ, and Deborah Lau-Whelan (dlau@reedbusiness.com) at SLJ. Please send files with large photos and graphics to ljphotos@reedbusiness.com.
