What's New? - June 2005

This website, of course! It is the fine work of J Barry and Glen Collins, and we’re very happy with it.

Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides also has a new logo designed by the multi-talented Beth Oberholtzer. “December” – the third in our occasional poemphlet series – was the first publication to use the new logo and last publication produced using the facilities of walking bird press. We are proud to feature the logo prominently on the website.

Thanks to the generosity of the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador, and their Studio Start-up grants, Running the Goat has new digs! The fall of 2004 saw a largish excavation on Mullock Street, as Sarah Wiseman of Random Acts of Carpentry, a fine poet/carpenter, proved herself an excellent wielder of jackhammers as well. Where once there was tiny basement room brimming with wood next to a dingy all-purpose room (and years before that a stable), there is now a wonderful studio, equipped with a Vandercook SP15 proof press, type cases and a drafting table, and with plenty of room for storing finished products. It’s a delight and a blessing to have a new work space; thanks to all at the Craft Council who helped make this possible. Thanks, too, to Robert Mellin who visited once and saw where a window should be; to Sarah for her fine workmanship; and to Tara Bryan for years of generously sharing her facilities.

For much of April, I was in England; I spent a thoroughly delightful day at the Incline Press in Oldham, Lancashire, visiting Graham Moss and Kathy Whalen, and participated in a very informative weekend printing workshop at the Alembic Press, in Marcham, Oxfordshire. I also had the great pleasure of visiting St. Bride Printing Library and the British Library.

This summer will see the publication of Three Servings our next chapbook. (See “Featured Work” for details.) Also, in May, work will begin on a limited-edition chapbook printed as a fundraising effort for OXFAM-Canada. The chapbook will feature poems (some previously published, some new to this publication) by a variety of celebrated Canadian poets; only 50 copies will be available for purchase. Ken Babstock, Michael Crummey, Susan Downe, Phil Hall, Tim Lilburn, Don McKay, P.K. Page, Alison Pick, Anne Simpson, Agnes Walsh and Jan Zwicky have all agreed to donate a poem; Running the Goat will donate materials and labour. The entire sale price of the chapbook will be donated to OXFAM. Publication details will be available on the website soon.