SPD Closure Shock Velocity of Content

Founded in 1969, Small Press Distribution was the nation’s only exclusively literary nonprofit book distributor serving small independent literary publishers.



Last week, 400 publishers were shocked to learn that SPD had abruptly closed.



“SPD was the only book distributor that focused on literary publishers, and they had just started wrapping up the first phase of a program they thought would keep themselves viable going into the 21st century,” reports Jim Milliot, Publishers Weekly editor-at-large.



According to Milliot, the abrupt closure of Small Press Distribution has left many SPD clients feeling stranded.



“They are in the process of trying to find answers,” Milliot tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally. “They’re also trying to find out how they can collect the outstanding payments they’re owed. It’s uncertain how that’s going to play out. The only thing they do know is that the Superior Court in California is going to handle a liquidation process.



“It’s going to hurt the publishers themselves. It’s also going to hurt the authors quite a bit.”