2018 Charleston Library Conference

More than 30% of members of the Association of University Presses (AUPresses) report to their university libraries. While there has been significant discussion of the benefits of press-library integration and collaboration, less time has been given to exploring areas of tension that can emerge when presses report to libraries. Do stresses appear around budgeting/funding, missions, project management, staffing, open access, and more? What cultural and professional differences can frustrate the creation of strong partnerships? What seams can break when presses and libraries try to address new challenges, even when they’ve been in an established relationship for years? Finally, what strategies can be deployed for avoiding or resolving conflicts, all with the goal of promoting true collaboration and a sustainable scholarly communications landscape?

Organized by the AUPress’s library relations committee, this panel features three directors of university presses that report to university libraries, as well as a university librarian whose remit includes the university press. Each panelist will bring a different perspective to the discussion, as well as different reasons as to why and when their press moved into the library. This session will be of benefit to library administrators, librarians working in scholarly communications and publishing, and university press staff who want to better understand the realities and challenges of press-library integration. The session will focus on strategies for building positive relationships across professional boundaries, with time for attendees to participate in a discussion about how librarians and publishers can work together in support of our authors, readers, and scholarly communities.