It’s University Press Week

Yesterday marked the commencement of the third annual, week-long celebration of university presses. From November 9th through the 15th, the Association of American University Presses (AAUP) hosts what is affectionately known as University Press Week. Events include a blog tour and collaborative projects gallery.

As the AAUP website explains, this week exists not only to recognize university presses themselves, but also to distinguish these presses from their more commercialized competitors. In fact, small presses like us do many of the same designing, editing, and marketing tasks as some of our larger publishing counterparts. The difference, therefore, between WFU Press and Random House, for example, exists not in the publishing process itself, but instead in the audience each organization is attempting to target. Where large publishers cater to popular audiences, small presses often publish scholarly work or work of a unique creative nature with a focus on smaller, more specialized sectors of the general public. For those who hold a special place in their hearts for all things related to Irish poetry, small not-for-profit university presses make a huge difference in the publishing world.

Additional information about University Press Week can be located here.