Katherine “Kate” Dimancescu

My journey to becoming a North American Stationer was perhaps slightly different than the membership paths taken by other current Freemen and Liverymen in The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers.

Prior to becoming a member of the Company in late 2021, I possessed a general working knowledge of some of the then 110 Livery Companies and a London-based acquaintance of mine was already a member of another Livery Company. Reflecting on how it thus came to pass that I found myself a North American Stationer conjures up in my mind the oft-quoted saying that “when one door closes, another opens.” Such was the case in the spring of 2021 when I was spending long hours online doing my utmost to virtually undertake English historical and genealogical research for historical non-fiction pieces I was writing and my third book too; this was a period when accessing archival records in person was not easy to do given pandemic travel and in-person access restrictions and regulations; by chance in the midst of these uncertain trying times an worthwhile virtual archival door opened after I discovered references online to the archives of The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers. As the author of non-fiction historical publications and pieces focusing primarily on 17th century England and early colonial New England, I was captivated by the Company’s archives, which house The Stationers’ Company Registers including one containing the entry for the First Folio in which was printed a number of William Shakespeare’s plays that would have otherwise not have been preserved for posterity. Finding Stationers’ Company Registers entries which corresponded to publications associated with 17th century individuals whom I was researching, proved to be enlightening and memorable. So it came to pass that at a time during the pandemic when the world beyond my immediate environs was largely closed off, doors to the past and to the present were opened by The Stationers’ Company and its archives. As I delved into the history of the Company, I learned many of its current members were actively engaged in some capacity with publishing, printing, or with the communications and content industries centuries after the Company received its Royal Charter of Incorporation in the mid-16th century; I found myself moved to apply for membership. I was delighted to also learn during the application process that the Company counted among its current members a number of actively involved North American Stationers. 

       As a Freeman in the Company, I have enjoyed and continue to be the beneficiary of engaging and informative insights which have arisen from discussions and conversations with fellow Stationers which have in turn helped to foster my professional development as well as helping to expand my knowledge of trends, changes, and developments in the publishing and printing industries; these insights have helped me as self-published author envision and incorporate new ideas, entertain new publishing prospects, and to consider potential new marketing avenues for my publications. I am grateful and pleased by the myriad ways I and fellow North American Stationers may choose to connect with the Company; we all continue to benefit from active engagement by the Company and fellow Stationers via social media and LinkedIn; the presence and frequent use of a dedicated LinkedIn Group for North American Stationers has proven to be another great resource, and there continue to be ample opportunities and events via which to connect with fellow Stationers, some of whom are based here in North America and others who are based overseas, as well as a welcome steady stream of communications and content industries updates regularly shared by the Company too, which are informative.