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Pam Art: Publishing quality books in the Berkshires
By Patrick Rheaume

Anyone interested in "Shell Chic," "Organizing Plain and Simple," or “101 Jumping Exercises for Horse and Riders” would do well to look into the offerings of Storey Book Publishing Co., billed as “Your How-To Source for Country Living.”

Located in North Adams, Storey Books publishes 40 books per year on subjects such as gardening, country living, illustrated reference and pets. The company is in the Mass MoCA complex, where it employs 50 people.

President Pam Art, who has been with the company since it changed its name from Garden Way to Storey, remembers a time when it operated with only six employees. "We've grown a lot in recent years," she says, "to the point where we are national in scope."

Storey's location in the Berkshires, says Art, allows the company to maintain a personal scope within the community. "Running a business," she observes, "means creating an environment in which people can see their talent impacting the outside world."

Since July 2001, Storey has collaborated with Workman Publishing, the company that prints Storey Books. "We are very privileged to work with them," she says. "Workman has helped us stay true to our mission of bringing country life to readers."

Born in Evanston, Ill., Art graduated from Southern Connecticut State University. She founded the Little Red Schoolhouse in Williamstown and wrote for the Berkshire Advocate. Art joined Storey Books when John and Martha Storey brought their publishing business to the Berkshires.

"I had wanted to get involved in book publishing," she says.

Unique among publishing companies, Storey Books includes a response card in every volume. The cards, says Art, "are our connection to the consumer." On Friday, Art reads every card that comes in. She is deeply gratified to read "people's thank-you notes for the books."

Recently, Storey Books introduced a line of children's books that have received the National Science Teachers’ Award. "I’m proud to say that our children’s books have been very warmly received by both children and the educational community."

Art enjoys feeling that there is always a new idea for Storey Books to discover and share with readers. By soliciting author's book concepts, she says, "we can take ideas and make them real."

Part of discovering new, unpublished authors involves giving them their first opportunity to communicate with a wider audience. With organized book tours, Storey Books can promote the new talent it discovers. "We've given many of our authors the national spotlight," Art says.

Many times, Storey works with business entities to create a book or series devoted to a particular interest. Says Art, "I'm very proud of our partnership with Kripalu and other organizations to get exciting material published."

Art praises the strong staff Storey Books uses to scout new authors and evaluate manuscripts. "We have many people who have been with the company for 10 or 15 years," she says. "We rely on their expertise to find and develop cutting edge material." Storey editors travel throughout the country to identify trends that readers will find interesting.

"I'm proud that our books resonate with people," she notes.

Art lives with her husband, Henry, who teaches at Williams College. They have three sons and a new granddaughter. In her spare time, she enjoys reading nonfiction, poetry and travel books; rug making, traveling and spending time with her family. She has run marathons in both New York and Chicago.

She serves as a member of the Hoosic River Watershed Association, and has done work with the Preservation of Open Lands.

Art believes that customer feedback comprises an integral part of what Storey Books has become. She says, "We always ask ourselves: 'What can we do to create and maintain a world class institution?' "

Out on the trails, or at a sewing bee, or when reading comment cards on Friday afternoon, the publishers at Storey Books are finding out.

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