2014 Charleston Library Conference

At least 25% of university presses report to academic library directors, but the nature of these relationships varies widely. Many are currently just administratively-convenient reporting lines, but an increasing number reflect a much more unified vision. At universities such as Michigan, Temple, Indiana, Purdue, and Oregon State new titles are emerging that combine the directorship of the university press with a senior leadership role in the library. This session aims to describe the rationale behind the creation of these newly integrated positions, evaluate the risks that such experimentation might pose to both library and press partners, and explore the opportunities that inserting publishing professionals fully into the library might now offer. This is new territory, and the speakers will encourage participants to explore the unfolding landscape together. Expect to hear unusual perspectives on the role of institutional repositories, insights into how to sustain open access strategies without draining authors dry, and intriguing thoughts about how to connect the library and press to its host institution in new ways. Attendees will be challenged to rethink the roles of both university presses and library publishers, and will leave with new ideas about how they can affect scholarly communication change on their own campuses.