Supporting Ohio University Press

Over the past decade, Ohio University Press has made tremendous gains in terms of the imaginative and rigorous acquisition, evaluation, editing, design, marketing, and distribution of its titles. These efforts have been recognized widely in the reviews and awards that the books consistently receive.

However, it is still true that the market for books of scholarly and cultural importance has shrunk with diminishing library budgets and the constant competition for discretionary dollars in the broader marketplace. In order to maintain our high standards and to further our efforts to achieve the visibility and viability that we have sought over the years, we ask for your help.

Your support of our publishing program through your generous gift can help underwrite an individual title that might need special effort, endow a series, or strengthen an area of specialization. It can foster our ability to promote our books throughout the world and allow us to expand our reach through new technologies as well as traditional means. Our chances to maintain our standing as a center for excellence in publishing increase with your support.

Among the areas of particular growth and development in which Ohio University Press seeks support are the following areas of study:

African Studies

As one of the premier publishers of scholarly work on Africa, Ohio University Press seeks to extend its reach in this area by augmenting its marketing capability, and through the benefit of title subvention, to solicit books by top-tier scholars and make those books available at affordable prices.

Victorian Studies

From the inception of its series on the Complete Works of Robert Browning in 1969, Ohio University Press has strived to increase the level of excellence and topicality of its publications in Victorian studies to the point where it is now among the top publishers in this field. By strengthening its distinguished list, Ohio University Press can firmly establish itself as a primary outlet for scholarship in Victorian Studies.

Appalachian Studies

Located in the foothills of the Appalachians, Ohio University Press considers the exploration of the cultural, historical, and sociological aspects of the region an important component of its publishing program. With books such as West Virginia Quilts and Quiltmakers, Extracting Appalachia, and Coal and Culture, the Press has increased awareness of the many facets of the region.

Ohio and the Region

We have made books about Ohio and our region central to our publishing program. As rich in history as this area is and as underdeveloped as it is as a field, we are committed to providing the best scholarship about Ohio and the Midwest to our audience. Support for this area will help expand our commitment and strengthen our hand in this field.

Original Poetry or Short Fiction

Ohio University Press/Swallow Press publishes some of the finest collections of poetry (particularly formal poetry) and short fiction in the country. Despite the overwhelmingly positive critical reception these books receive, they compete with books from major literary publishers and sometimes have a hard time making their way in the world. Support for these projects will enable us to boost the audience for these important voices.

Series in which your support would be most appreciated, include:

Series in Law, Politics, and Society in the Midwest

This is a wide-ranging series that includes a sub-series of legal histories of individual midwestern states. All of the books are original scholarship devoted to focused but important issues concerning the development and analysis of our legal system and its impact on midwestern society.

The Ohio Quilt Series

Designed as affordable, attractive books on various aspects of the history of quilting in Ohio, the titles in this series require significant support for the four-color printing necessary to showcase the array of colorful images.

Polish and Polish-American Studies Series

A series dedicated to both the immigrant community and the homeland of the Polish people, the books in the series delve into the complex history and character of a much-contested and often-maligned ethnic community. With support from such organizations as the Polish American Historical Association, Central Connecticut State University, and the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America, this series has garnered many awards, including the Orbis Books Prize for Polish Studies.

Series in Ecology and History

This innovative series publishes work on the environmental impact of humans on regions outside of the United States. Because of its global focus, it distinguishes itself from other such series and is gaining a foothold in classrooms. With underwriting for this series we can hold the prices down and exploit its unique status, which will further its significance as an important series in this growing field.

Series in Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in Appalachia

The titles in this groundbreaking series seek to examine misconceptions about Appalachian culture and the people who inhabit this mountainous area. More than exposés, these books illuminate groups that have been ignored or underrepresented in the general view of Appalachia.

Of course, these are not the only areas in which we publish, and a gift in another area or for the publication of a particular book would be just as welcome and greatly appreciated. All books that benefit from your gift will carry prominent acknowledgment of your support.

In trying to raise our visibility and establish the Press in new technologies, we also have a need for unrestricted support in furthering our program in electronic publishing. Although we are committed to the traditional book format as a practical tool for research, we recognize the growing need and convenience of access that online availability offers to the scholarly community. Electronic publishing serves to bring our work to an even larger audience, and web-based marketing provides unlimited access to disseminating information about our program around the world. Support for our efforts here will allow us to make our works available to specialized audiences in myriad ways including, in some cases and where appropriate, free and open access.

Ohio University Press author P.L. Gaus signs copies of his book at BookExpo America in Washington D.C. 2006

Your unrestricted gift to the Press would provide the impetus for us to be more actively engaged in all facets of our publishing program, such as the cultivation of a more dynamic acquisitions agenda, the establishment of an increased presence at scholarly conferences, and the creation of specialized authors’ tours and marketing campaigns.

If you value the pursuit of scholarly research and creative endeavors and appreciate Ohio University’s commitment to the scholarly dialogue, we invite you to show your support by making a gift to Ohio University Press.

Ways to give include outright gifts, bequest or beneficiary designation, charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust, gift of retirement plan assets, or real estate gifts. All gifts to Ohio University Press are considered to be charitable contributions.

To make a gift to Ohio University Press, please contact

David Sanders, Director
Ohio University Press
19 Circle Drive
The Ridges
Athens OH 45701

740-593-1157
sandersd@ohio.edu

or The Ohio University Development Office

What authors say about working with Ohio University Press:

“What a delight to see the book! It exceeds my wildest imaginings of loveliness: the cover is gorgeous, the paper and type elegant, the whole thing is striking. I keep looking at it and thinking, ‘My goodness, whose exquisite book is that?’”
—V. Penelope Pelizzon, Director, Creative Writing Program, University of Connecticut, author of Nostos

“You should know that the entire process of working with you and your staff has been a delight to me. It must be any writer’s dream—it was certainly mine—to work with a publisher who respects the work at hand as much as the author does.”
—Griff Hogan, President, Griff Hogan & Associates, author of The Inclusive Corporation: A Disability Handbook for Business Professionals

“My advance copy of The Wake of Wellington showed up in yesterday’s post, and I just wanted to write and say ‘thank-you,’ once again, for all your work (and that of your colleagues at Ohio) in producing such a fine-looking book. It really has been an unmitigated pleasure to work with Ohio, right from the moment of submission. I’ve been advocating the press ardently among fellow Victorianists as the best of all possible venues.”
—Peter Sinnema, Professor of English, University of Alberta, author of The Wake of Wellington: Englishness in 1852

“This has been a wonderful experience for me, and not simply because I have a beautiful book to show for it—the process has been every bit as rewarding as the product. My deepest thanks to everyone at Ohio University Press.”
—Ann Hudson, Poet, author of The Armillary Sphere

What others say about books from Ohio University Press:

“One of the best and oddest academic books to appear in quite some time.”
—The New York Times, in their “Papercuts” blog

“Destined to become a classic in its field…”
—Publishers Weekly

“A volume that will be both accessible and useful to general readers and scholars…. The editors and contributors deserve high praise.”
—Choice