University Press Roundup: #UPWeek 2016 Edition

It’s University Press Week 2016! In celebration of this year’s excellent UP Week Blog Tour, we are happy to present a special University Press Week UP Roundup. You should check out our contribution to the week on the innovative South Asia Across the Disciplines series, and, from a previous year’s UP Week, take a look back at our University Press Roundup Manifesto to see why we do our Roundup posts every Friday.

Northwestern University Press’s blog celebrates its partnership with the Evanston Historical Society through honoring Charles Gates Dawes. Dawes was awarded the 1925 Nobel Peace Prize, served as Vice President of the United States under Calvin Coolidge, and was a proud citizen of Evanston. Charles Gates Dawes: A Life, by Annette Dunlap, was recently published.

Rutgers University Press’s blog commemorates the 250th anniversary of Queen’s College, which would later come to be known as Rutgers: The State University of New Jersey. Rutgers University Press reflects on their eventful year, reminding readers of the publication Rutgers: A 250th Anniversary Portrait, an illustrated survey highlighting Rutgers’ achievements and history, in addition to Rutgers Since 1945: A History of the State University of New Jersey and Scarlet and Black: Slavery and Dispossession in Rutgers History.

Fordham University Press’s blog emphasizes the importance of community through discussing the book Before the Fires: An Oral History of African American Life in the Bronx from the 1930′s to the 1960′s. This book is an extension of the “Bronx African American History Project,” which has recorded over 300 interviews in its 14 years of existence. The experience of writing this book “affirmed our vision of this book as a true community product, one which people whose lives were highlighted in the book could claim as a window into the world they grew up in, and still look back upon with great affection and respect,” says co-author Mark Naison.

University of Toronto Press’s blog celebrates its partnership with the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre. The post focuses on the importance of history and its role in education. “The Higher Education Division at University of Toronto Press believes in sharing knowledge by publishing accessible books for generations of students. The MNJcc believes in providing accessible programming for older generations. Together, these two communities have joined forces to provide accessible programming devoted to the sharing of knowledge.”

The Seminary Co-op Bookstores’ blog had posts for each day of the blog tour, starting with a reading list by Haun Saussy, University Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Chicago and coeditor of Li Zhi’s A Book to Burn and a Book to Keep (Hidden). They also provided a curated list of university press books under the title “Indie Bound: Selections from The Front Table.” On Wednesday, they spotlighted sales rep John Eklund, who provides a list of his favorite Harvard, MIT, and Yale University Press titles. Thursday, they threw it back to the future with an example of their Front Table newsletter from Fall 1983, and on Friday, they gave a list of their university press authors giving events in Fall of 2016.

Athabasca University Press’s blog features short interviews with AU Press editorial committee members who talk about the books they’re looking forward to reading in addition to their current favorite reads.

University Press of Florida’s blog celebrates University Press Week by featuring short interviews with UPF readers, authors, editorial board members, staff members, independent booksellers, and sales representatives.

In order to celebrate community, University of Texas Press’s blog showcases assistant director and sales manager Gianna LaMorte’s Bookstore Roadtrip along the West Coast.

University of Calgary Press’s blog highlights the Little Free Libraries campaign, whose mission is similar to that of University of Calgary Press. “Our books are intended to spark conversations on and off campus, about issues that concern all of us, as global citizens.”

Cornell University Press’s blog discusses the significance of a local bookstore called Buffalo Street Books, which almost closed its doors in 2010 until members of the Ithaca community formed a co-op and bought the business. General manager Asha Sanaker gives advice on cooperative ownership.

The University Press of Colorado and Utah State University Press’s blog pays tribute to the Boulder Book Store, a historic part of the Boulder community. “We are deeply grateful to the caring and knowledgeable people who found, manage, and provide service at these bookstores. They are an indispensable part of our local communities, the university press community, and the greater community of publishers and booksellers.”

McGill-Queen’s University Press’s blog features a reflection by Jack Hannan, MQUP Sales Manager, who started his career in bookselling at Browsers’ Bookshop in Montreal. “So, whatever we think is going on in the book world, there are some great bookstores across Canada, the spirit lives, and cheers! May the force be with them.”

Duke University Press’s blog features a post by Kristen Ghodsee, author of The Left Side of History: World War II and the Unfulfilled Promise of Communism in Eastern Europe. Ghodsee writes about the importance of independent bookstores.

New York University Press’s blog, From the Square, features a post on this year’s Brooklyn Books Festival and the academic press contest that allowed participants to learn more about University Press publishing procedures. Participants were also able to share their own independent bookstore recommendations.

University Press of Kentucky’s blog honors some of Kentucky’s best bookstores by interviewing independent booksellers.

University Press of Kansas’s blog pays tribute to the Raven Bookstore and the KU Bookstore, two local establishments that have supported local artists and University Press publications alike.

Wayne State University Press spotlights Rachel Ross, a recent addition to the Wayne State University Press staff. She is currently reading City of Thieves by David Benioff.

University of Washington Press’s blog features a spotlight on assistant editor Niccole Leilanionapae’aina Coggins who reflects on a lecture given by Dr. Charlotte Coté, Associate Professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Washington.

The University Press of Mississippi’s blog spotlights Valerie Jones, the University Press of Mississippi’s project editor. In addition to being an editor, Jones is a trap-neuter-return practitioner.

The University of Wisconsin Press’s blog shines the spotlight on Terry Emmrich, production manager in the books division of University of Washing Press. Emmrich has contributed significantly to the documentation and preservation of Wisconsin and American printmaking.

Johns Hopkins University Press’s blog features a post by Debby Bors, a senior editor in the manuscript editing department at Johns Hopkins University Press. In this post, Bors reflects on her experience working at a University Press. “At the JHU Press we are a part of something that brings together top-notch researchers and writers all across the globe, concerned readers all over the world.”

University of Chicago Press’s blog features a profile of Levi Stahl, the associate marketing director at the University of Chicago Press and the editor of The Getaway Car: A Donald E. Westlake Nonfiction Miscellany.

Princeton University Press’s blog offers a behind the scenes look into academic press publishing through interviews with Caroline Priday, the Head of the European Office and European Director of Publicity, and Theresa Liu, Senior Copywriter and Seasonal Catalog Editor.

Purdue University Press’s blog features a post by staff member Dianna Gilroy, who discusses her work in animal adoption and welfare and how that connects to academic press publishing. She mentions publications like Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound and Teaming with Your Therapy Dog, reflecting her love for dogs and books.

Yale University Press’s blog features a post on the mass media’s effect on communities and the global village. The post focuses on the recently published, The City of Tomorrow, by Carlo Ratti and Matthew Claudel. “Physical and virtual are fused through a productive collision, where both propinquity and connectivity play an important role.”

Indiana University Press’s blog features a post on the favorite books of Indiana authors. “One of the four core goals of the IU press strategic plan is to promote a prosperous Indiana.”

University of Michigan Press’s blog features a post on The Gabii Project, led by Rachel Opitz, Nicola Terrenato, and Marcello Mogetta. This project involves the study and excavation of the ancient Latin city of Gabii.

Newcomers to the University Press Week Blog Tour, the folks at IPR License introduce themselves through an explanation of what they do and how it affects the university press community.

University of Toronto Press Journals’ blog looks back on its very first online platform and reflects on the advancements that have been made in the online reading community.

University of Georgia Press’s blog discusses the publication of Charleston Syllabus: Readings on Race, Racism, and Racial Violence, a book that originated from the use of the #CharlestonSyllabus hashtag.

The University of California Press’s blog features a post by Robert W. Kelly, the author of The Fifth Beginning: What Six Million Years of Human History Can Tell Us about Our Future. “Archaeology’s ability to tell us about the future might seem limited. But with some much time at its disposal, archaeology can see the biggest of the big pictures.”

University of Nebraska Press’s blog includes a post by publicist Anna Weir, who reflects on the process of compiling stories for Voices of Nebraska: Diverse Landscapes, Diverse Peoples.

University of Minnesota Press’s blog features a post by Cary Wolfe, Posthumanities series editor, who discusses University of Minnesota Press’s co-sponsorship of Avant Museology, a symposium on art, architecture, theory, and philosophy.

The University of North Carolina Press’s blog honors its publishing partners and celebrates long-term community relationships.

Finally, the MIT Press blog features a post from Justin Kehoe, a member of our editorial department and former MIT Press Bookstore employee, reflecting on the recent relocation of the wonderful MIT Press Bookstore.

Whew! Another University Press Week Blog Tour in the books! Thanks for reading! And thanks to the many university press employees who made the blog tour happen!