University Press Forum: Variations on a Digital Theme (and Other Matters)

For almost two decades Choice has devoted one issue a year - the May issue - to honouring university presses and the work they do. The 'university press feature' (as we label it in-house) has morphed over the years, but one component has remained the same: a listing of significant titles for undergraduates published by university presses. This year's feature includes such a press-by-press listing (see 'Significant University Press Titles for Undergraduates, 2006-2007').

For the last two years (this is the third), the other component of the university press feature has been a forum. We invite a handful of university press directors to speak out on whatever concerns them, no holds barred. We have found this method to be particularly felicitous - and our readers have seconded this sentiment - for two seemingly contradictory reasons: the wide range and the similarity of topics treated.

This year's forum - comprising comments by directors at Georgetown University Press, Johns Hopkins University Press, University of Massachusetts Press, Oxford University Press, and Purdue University Press - is not so very different, though it leans more in the direction of common than of different themes. To no one's surprise matters digital reign supreme, followed closely by open access and partnering with libraries in creating new opportunities. With regard to the digital, the common thread seems to be not the demise of the printed book - the familiar refrain of doom mongers in recent years - but rather the opportunities for a wide variety of formats that the digital revolution has made possible. One comes away from this forum understanding that we - and, by extension, university presses, libraries, and readers - need not decide between print and electronic. We can have it both ways!

We hope you enjoy this forum. Readers who would like to comment on the feature - either in the particular (i.e., about the comments above) or in general (for example, suggesting angles we might pursue in forthcoming university press features) - are urged to e-mail Humanities Editor Becky Bartlett at bbartlett@ala-choice.org (please put 'UP forum' on the subject line).

• Georgetown University Press
• Richard Brown, Director

Last October the staff of Georgetown University Press took an afternoon field trip to the National Zoo. As we wandered through 163 magnificent acres - the Asia Trail was closed, much to our disappointment, though the giant pandas, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian and Tai Shan, romped over boulders with gusto - we broke off into small groups, sometimes into pairs, reuniting briefly at the Bird House and then off again, some of us meandering toward Lemur Island and others toward Gibbon Ridge, still others in search of the lush flora of Amazonia. No one spoke of work.

The timing of this outing was propitious, though I'm not sure we were aware of it. We were in the final stages of preparing a five-year plan, with a deadline approaching like a freight train, and our focus was fixed on the future: how to not only survive and adapt but also flourish and grow. The intent of our excursion was to get out of the office, relax, seize the day, forget about cranky authors and e-mail, and literally smell the roses. We did that, it turned out, by immersing ourselves in an unforgiving environment of constant change, where business as usual results in slow decay and potential extinction. It was all there, at the zoo.

Zoo analogies can get out of control quickly; this one has served its purpose, and will now be retired. But with that background, I want to draw together a few considerations that have emerged in recent months as we observe the scholarly publishing environment and decide what Georgetown University Press must do to survive, adapt, flourish, and grow.

Our five-year planning process resulted in a commitment to build on our core strengths, to devote more staff and more money to those processes and products that we know how to do well - and that do well for us, by generating high margins and high revenue. This means creating...