Collection Creator Biography:
Franklin book programs
Franklin Publications was officially incorporated in the state of New York on June 5, 1952 as a nonprofit membership corporation for publication and translation of American books to native languages for distribution abroad. A group of American publishers, librarians and educators who were concerned with the state of education in developing countries founded the organization and named it after America's first book publisher, Benjamin Franklin. This group hoped that by facilitating and encouraging the publication and reading of American books in translation, international ties would be strengthened. Franklin's official purpose as stated in its certificate of incorporation was to.....
"The 1960s were a tumultuous time for Franklin. It continued to grow, expanding its programs to Africa and South America, but soon found itself in serious financial jeopardy. It began to redirect its activities from direct operational projects toward educational development. Specifically, it began to focus more on developing libraries and literacy campaigns, producing encyclopedias and dictionaries, developing textbooks, conducting training seminars in book publishing and writers' workshops, and technical assistance in printing, publishing and book selling. This redefinition also extended to a name change. Franklin Publications became Franklin Book Programs in 1964. The board felt the name Franklin Publications sounded too commercial and gave the impression it was a competitor to publishers. The organization's original name also failed to show its emphasis on books and that it was an international program."