Ciporen Leaves 'SLJ'; Tessitore Appointed VP, Group Publisher

Ciporen will serve as president of RBI Press, which plans to publish between 12 and 18 titles annually for the institutional, school, library, business, and professional markets. RBI Press will announce its first offerings at BookExpo America in Los Angeles this May. Ciporen, a charismatic figure in the library and publishing worlds, was the first to characterize libraries as an "invisible market," drawing attention to their viability and buying power among publishers and technology companies.

"Fred Ciporen has spent 15 years in a pivotal role observing the best ways to market great books," says RBI CEO Jim Casella. "We're excited that he has agreed to step into this critical role to launch this new business."

Tessitore most recently served as president of Grolier/Scholastic Publishing, where he led a team that developed Grolier's print publishing program and online reference databases, which now generate millions of dollars in sales and reach students throughout the United States.

Having spent 10 years working closely with the school library market, Tessitore says he's passionate and enthusiastic about his new position, particularly because "there's never been a time in school libraries like now."

"School librarians are faced with many complicated issues, and School Library Journal informs, educates, and helps them succeed every day," Tessitore adds. "The school librarian plays a primary role in enriching children's lives with good books and materials. All educators know the importance and value of strong school libraries. Our mission is to make school libraries stronger than ever."