Spinner Publications' photostream  

Spinner Publications, Inc. is a community-based, non-profit publishing house based in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Our mission is to record and promote the history and culture of the cities and towns of southeastern New England. We do this primarily through the publication of books. We collect oral histories and create documentary, photographic and illustrative accounts that tell the story of the individual, the city, the land; stories of families and their work. We seek to promote the humanities and arts of the region and collaboration among artists to present local history in an accurate, dramatic and entertaining way. Spinner's aim is to bring out the story of individuals, to show how people's lives have impacted the community, and to portray the culture as it is realized in the lives of community members. We are interested in fostering the growth of authors as writers and historians; and of developing work which returns experience to the places of its origin.

Twenty-one years ago, Spinner began with a vision---we wanted people to get a sense of their heritage and to take pride in their contributions to the region. Since then, we have published over 20 major books and numerous small publications, employing hundreds of local artists, writers, photographers, historians and educators. As the area's only independent, non-profit publishing house, we are proud that our name is synonymous in the region with the telling of history.

Our award-winning book series, Spinner: People and Culture in Southeastern Massachusetts, contains five volumes and the sixth is in the works. We have also published pictorial and cultural works such as Cranberry Harvest: The History of Cranberry Growing in Massachusetts, The Strike of '28 (a history of labor and the textile industry in the region), Not Just Anywhere (New Bedford's struggle to preserve its whaling heritage), This City and Other Poems, A Window Back: Photography in A Whaling Port, The Ed Letters, Brick by Brick: A Woman's Journey, Portuguese Spinner: An American Story, Lincoln Park Remembered: 1894-1987, and Out of the Earth: A Heritage Farm Coast Cookbook.

The many awards won by Spinner are testimony to the organization's excellence. Twice Spinner was awarded a Certificate of Commendation from the American Association of State and Local History for "excellence in the preservation, interpretation and distribution of local and regional history." In 1994, Spinner received the Fontera Award from the Labor Education Center at UMass Dartmouth, recognizing our "commitment to educating all people, especially through the lessons of the past, about the meaning of social justice, the integrity of the human spirit and the importance of struggle in the creation of a truly democratic society." In 2000, for design, Spinner received the Benjamin Franklin award by the Publisher's Marketing Association and was finalist in the prestigious Independent Publisher Book Awards.

Spinner has received commendations from the governor, the State House and Senate: for our contribution to the "African Experience in Massachusetts" exhibit, for our work to "record and preserve the heritage and culture of the working women and menÖof the textile industry in New Bedford and southeastern Massachusetts," and for our contributions to state and local history. In 1997, the MCC awarded the Commonwealth Award---the state's highest cultural achievement award---to publisher Joseph Thomas in the humanities category "for dedication to excellence in illuminating and celebrating the heritage of Southeastern Massachusetts through a series of high-quality books and publications."

164 William Street
New Bedford, MA 02740

P: 508-994-4564
F: 508-994-6925