Fonds consists of the official records of the Independent Publishers Association and its 1976 successor, the Association of Canadian Publishers. The fonds documents the 1971 founding and the first ten years of operation of the ACP and its activities to strengthen and expand the Canadian-owned publishing industry through government action, co-operation between publishing houses and liaison with other associations.
The records contain substantial information and analysis of the English language Canadian publishing industry during this period and of its specialized sectors such as children's book, educational, scholarly, music and paperback publishing. They document the founding and operation of ACP affiliates: the Literary Press Group, Association of Book Publishers of BC and the Atlantic and Alberta Publishers Associations. The records reveal the concerns of these regional and specialized groups and of the industry as a whole and detail the remedial strategies formulated for problems of warehousing and distribution, censorship, production costs, promotion, foreign sales and foreign ownership. The ACP was a sustaining member of the Book and Periodical Development Council and the Canadian Copyright Institute and amassed minutes and papers from these organizations.
The collection reflects the cultural and economic nationalism that emerged in Canada during the 1970's. It offers significant information about federal and provincial government policies, initiatives and funding programs in aid of book publishing and on related issues such as copyright, Canadian learning materials development and the book tariff. Substantial records have been maintained on the Canada Council and its Book Purchase Program, the Ontario Arts Council, and the federal ministries of Secretary of State and Industry, Trade and Commerce. An extensive collection of briefs to the 1971 Ontario Royal Commission on Book Publishing is also included.
The records document Canadian publishers' participation in foreign book fairs and the Montreal Book Fair. Detailed records have been maintained on the proceedings of ACP publishing policy conferences and publishers' professional development seminars. Considerable documentation exists about the interaction between the ACP and associations and individuals representing libraries, educational institutions, booksellers and writers.
Significant correspondents with ACP staff and executive members include Dave Arnason, Beth Appeldoorn, Katherine Benzekri, Bill Bissett, Sally Bryers, Fred Cogswell, William Darnell, Jane Dobell, Robin Farr, Hugh Faulkner, W.E.P. Fleck, Nancy Fleming, Graeme Gibson, Shirley Gibson, Alastair Gillespie, Peter Grant, David Hancock, Ralph Hodgson, Jack Horner, Campbell Hughes, Paul Irwin, Don Jamieson, Luc Jutras, Naim Kattan, Susan Katz, Peter Kidd, Frank Keyes, Sheila Kieran, Georges Laberge, Patricia Lagace, John LeBel, Jack McClelland, David MacDonald, Roy MacSkimming, John Main, Gladys Neale, Jacqueline Nestman-Hushion, Gordon Pallant, J.Z. Leon Patenaude, Ellen Powers, Eva Radford, Bernie Rath, Angela Rebeiro, Ed Roberts, Toivo Roht, Dan Rosborough, Clyde Rose, Karl Seigler, Roy Sharpe, Alan Shute, Annabel Slaight, David Spence, Steve Stevanovic, Jack Stoddart, Anthony Toth, Linda Turnbull, Glen Whitmer and Randall Ware.
Included are the constitution, bylaws, letters patent, correspondence, reports, briefs, speeches and transcripts, budgets, financial statements, newsletters, brochures, catalogues, articles, clippings, press releases, minutes, and photographs.
