Texas A&M University Press and University Libraries to “Raise Up” Authors & Subjects During University Press Week
By Marketing and Communications | 11-09-2020
Emphasizing the role that university presses play in elevating authors, subjects, disciplines, ideas, and voices to readers around the globe, the Association of University Presses (AUPresses) selected “Raise UP” as this year’s theme of University Press Week. University Press Week (UP Week) runs from Monday, November 9, through Sunday, November 15.
“Raise UP” is a particularly apt theme in a time when information moves at faster speeds than ever before across all platforms. It’s critical that scholarship about the most important ideas of the day is nurtured, championed, and made widely available. Texas A&M University Press, a longtime member of AUPresses, agrees.
“University presses are mission-critical participants in scholarly communication and meaningful dialogue for all,” Dr. Jay Dew, director of Texas A&M University Press, said. “As the publishing arm of a great university, Texas A&M University Press transforms and transmits the research, knowledge, insight, and wisdom of A&M faculty, scholars, and authors from all arenas into books that can—and do—make a difference.”
AUPresses members across the country have created a collective “Raise Up Reading List” which illustrates the value the university presses add to scholarship and the advancement of understanding and can be found online.
TAMU Press has created its own recommended reading list that can be found here. Included on the list are readings on how the public can prepare for pandemics, the political career of Texas feminist Nikki Van Hightower, climate science, and the racial integration of the sport of football in Texas.
University Press Week will take place on the Texas A&M campus as well as across the nation to emphasize the strong and long-term partnerships university presses have developed with its partners. The Texas A&M Press developed a strong partnership with the University Libraries when they moved under the Libraries’ organizational structure two years ago.
“The University Libraries are very excited to be part of University Press Week this year. We celebrate that working together, we have the opportunity to develop creative solutions to the changing dynamics of scholarly communication.” noted David Carlson, Dean University Libraries. “The Libraries and the Press share an enduring commitment to the production and accessibility of trusted, quality information for the campus, state, nation and world.”
University presses publish more than 12,000 books each year, as well as nearly 1,500 journals and numerous innovative digital works. 154 presses belong to AUPresses, and 20% are based outside of the U.S.
“University presses undertake the work of raising up our authors, colleagues, and publishing partners every day, making it only appropriate that University Press Week celebrates this dimension of our community,” AUPresses Executive Director Peter Berkery said. “We look forward to spending this week highlighting the vital research and ideas that university presses, through these relationships, are able to introduce to eager reading audiences around the world.”
Since 1937, the Association of University Presses advances the essential role of a global community of publishers whose mission is to ensure academic excellence and cultivate knowledge. The Association holds intellectual freedom, integrity, stewardship, and diversity and inclusion as core values. AUPresses members are active across many scholarly disciplines, including the humanities, arts, and sciences, publish significant regional and literary work, and are innovators in the world of digital publishing. You can learn more at http://www.aupresses.org/.
Media contact: Angel Franco, angelfranco97@library.tamu.edu