IMF Archives: Finding Aids

External Relations Department Records

External Relations Department Editorial Division Records

Context

Name of Creator: External Relations Department Editorial Division

Administrative/Biographical history: The Editorial Division (EXREM) was one of the original divisions at the creation of the External Relations Department in 1981. The Division assumed the duties of the Editorial Staff or Editorial Office which had existed in the IMF since 1952 as a unit attached to the Office of Managing Director (1952-1967) and the Secretary's Department (1967-1980). The major activities of the Division at its creation were as follows: to edit and publish all official reports of the IMF, including the Annual Report, the Annual Report on Exchange Arrangements and Exchange Restrictions, Staff Papers, and any books and seminar volumes produced; to edit, publish and sometimes initiate Occasional Papers and pamphlets; to develop the publications budget; and, to provide editorial services for IMF staff. In 1989, these activities were expanded as the Division was further made responsible for: editing, publishing and sometimes initiating the World Economic and Financial Surveys; administering the copyrighting of all IMF publications; reviewing proposed Working Papers for content and confidentiality; preparing summaries of the Working Papers and Departmental Memoranda for management; publishing the internal newsletter Staff News; and, writing descriptive articles on the IMF for other publications. In 1991, the Division became responsible for editing and publishing World Economic Outlook and for drafting the Annual Report of the Executive Board. Division Chiefs acted as the Publications Committee's Secretary, and the Division also participated in the Staff Papers Editorial Committee, the Publishing Management Committee, the Graphics Oversight Committee, the Printed Document Working Group, the Working Group on Fund Research, the Documents Subcommittee of the Information Technology Policy Committee, and the Working Group on Publications in Languages Other Than English. As of 1993, the Division Chief was also named Chief Editor. In 1996, the Division was made responsible for clearing papers for outside publication or presentation on behalf of management. In 1997, the Division began to process the Staff Country Report series for release to the public, as well as a monthly booklet listing publications issued for the month and information on other publications for listing on the Internet. Responsibility for Staff News was transferred back to the Current Publications Division in 1991. In 2000, EXREM began to negotiate co-publishing and distribution arrangements with external publishers for selected publications, as well as to produce a guide for IMF staff to help promote clearer writing. In 2004, the Publications Services Section, responsible for pricing, sale, distribution, promotion and management of the inventory of IMF publications, was incorporated into the Division which was renamed the Editorial and Publications Division. Prior to and after EXREM's establishment, the Chief Editors were: Allan G. B. Fisher, 1952-1960; and J. Keith Horsefield, 1960-1966; [Assistant Secretary] Roger V. Anderson, 1966-1974; Norman K. Humphreys, 1974-1986; and Bahram Nowzad, 1987-1991. Humphreys was also Assistant Director in charge of EXREM from 1981-1982, until he was transferred to the Immediate Office. After 1982, EXREM had the following division chiefs: [Acting Chief] Augustus W. Hooke, 1982; Ian S. McDonald, 1984-1997; David M. Cheney, 1998-2002; and, Jeanette Morrison, 2002-2004. McDonald was Chief Editor from 1991-2001, even though he became Division Chief of the Current Publications Division in 1998.

Content and structure

Scope and content: Series consists of the files of the Chief Editors both before and after the creation of the External Relations Department (EXR). The Chief Editor had overall responsibility for the IMF's publications activities and acted as chairman of the Publications Committee, the Publishing Management Committee, and the Staff Papers Editorial Committee. The Chief Editor was briefly the head of the External Relations Department Editorial Division (EXREM) upon its creation, but after 1982 the position was not necessarily associated with administrative supervision of the Division as some Chief Editors worked out of the EXR Immediate Office. The records are arranged into two series: EXREM Chief Editor Fisher Files and EXREM Chief Editor Humphreys Files.

Conditions of Access and Use

Language/script of material: English, French

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