Independent Publishers Vote on New Code of Ethics

The Independent Book Publishers Association, a not-for-profit membership association which provides advocacy and education for small to mid-sized and self-publishers, has passed a new code of ethics.

IBPA Board member Peter Goodman, founder and publisher of Stone Bridge Press, speaks to his involvement in the creation of the new code: "My own motivation for agreeing that this was needed came from realizing there are so many people jumping into the industry with no sense of its traditions or community or of the standards and conventions that evolved over several decades. Surely someone had to provide guidance, and who better than IBPA. I think the Code of Ethics positions IBPA clearly as a kind of interlocutor between the vast community of people embracing publishing and the industry itself, with all its barriers and safeguards. The Code of Ethics is, in a sense, a kind of navigation device, or a key to industry access."

The association’s new executive director Angela Bole speaks to the need for independent publishers to establish and maintain standards in a post on the association’s site, and says: “The Code sets IBPA apart from other associations and groups serving in this space. I'm very proud of it and think the industry would be interested in learning about how the largest publishing association in the U.S. views itself and its members.”