Scholarly Publishers Select Theme Emphasizing Role Amplifying Unheard Voices
New York, NY—Emphasizing the critical role of university presses in providing a voice for authors, ideas, and communities beyond the scope of mainstream publishing, the Association of University Presses (AUPresses) has chosen “#TurnItUP” as the theme for this year’s University Press Week. University Press Week (UP Week) runs from November 12 through November 17.
#TurnItUP was selected to celebrate the work of the UP community to find, publish, and amplify subjects, authors, and stories that might otherwise be overlooked by the book publishing community.
“University presses play an important part in the publishing ecosystem, making public and disseminating information and ideas to which the general public may not otherwise be exposed,” AUPresses President, and Associate Provost and Director, Columbia University Press, Jennifer Crewe said. “Trade publishers generally take on authors and books that make financial sense. But because UPs are mission-driven, we are able to engage more deeply with the public good of publishing, ensuring that seemingly esoteric subjects, counterintuitive ideas, and authors without social media followings are able to have their important ideas, research, and writing made available for public consumption.”
This will be the seventh annual UP Week. The community will host online celebrations of this year’s theme via a blog tour and a featured publication gallery, and industry supporters such as Ingram and Baker & Taylor also will mark the week online through special messages and marketing.
Celebrations will take place “in real life” as well. A panel focusing on this year’s theme is planned at the Miami Book Fair. University presses also are teaming with brick and mortar bookstores, libraries, and other venues to bring #TurnItUP to the reading public. For example, during UP Week, Book Culture in New York City and the MIT Bookstore in Boston will host panels about university press publishing. Many university presses also will take part in an “Indies First” campaign orchestrated by the America Booksellers Association the week of November 12.
A full run-down of all UP Week events can be found at www.universitypressweek.org, which will be updated in the coming weeks.
University presses publish approximately 14,000 books each year, including reprints. 146 presses belong to AUPresses, and 20% of that number are university presses based outside the US.
“University presses publish authors from around the world and right at home, writing on subjects that are broad, niche, and at every level of inquiry in between,” said AUPresses Executive Director Peter Berkery. “Without university presses, many of these authors or subjects would not be heard in the marketplace of ideas. We’re delighted to make this aspect of our work the focus of UP Week 2018.”
Formally established in 1937, AUPresses—formerly known as AAUP—is an organization of nonprofit publishers whose members strive to advance scholarship through their offerings. The Association’s mission is to assist its members through professional education, cooperative services, and public advocacy. It educates by offering training programs and workshops, by holding specialized and general annual meetings, and by aggregating and distributing industry information. The Association’s cooperative services expand its members’ reach and efficiency. And the organization advocates by promoting the value of university presses both within and outside the university community and by acting as members’ collective voice on matters of free speech, academic freedom, copyright, and other core issues. You can learn more at http://www.aupresses.org/
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Contact: Angela Baggetta
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