This past week Bucknell’s University Press (BUP) celebrated its 10th university press week, also known as UP Week. The theme for this year’s UP week is “Keep UP” highlighting how university presses have done so much more than just “Keep UP” with publishing. Rather, different university presses have been able to grow and evolve within the world of publishing, discovering new and exciting ways to produce scholarly content and extend their reader base. UP week is organized each year by the Association of University Presses (AU presses)  and acts to not only further promote the work in publication that university presses across the world are doing, but also commemorate the community’s devotion to scholarship. 

BUP has been publishing for over 50 years, during which BUP has produced more than 1,200 print titles. In 2020 BUP joined Amherst College and Wesleyan College as one of only three undergraduate liberal arts colleges in the United States to be members of the association of university presses. BUP also partnered with Rutgers university in 2018. This partnership has helped BUP to release books worldwide on a variety of platforms. Since the establishment of this partnership, BUP has been able to release all new publications in the format of paperback, cloth and eBook, as well as any past publication from 2018 onward. On campus, BUP has partnerships with both the Griot Institute as well as the Samek Art Museum. Within its partnership with the Griot Institute, BUP has published “The Griot Project Book Series”, containing a collection of essays, poetry, monographs as well as pieces on African American culture, art, history and African diaspora. Currently, BUP is working with the Samek Art Museum on the publication of an exhibit catalog for the “Screen Time: Photography and Video Art in the Internet Age” display exhibit that will be showing in January 2022. BUP publishes around 25 new books each year on subjects within the categories of the arts, humanities and social sciences. Furthermore, BUP is internationally distinguished in Iberian, Latin American, Irish and 18th century studies. The group is committed to its mission of publishing select subject areas of scholarly work, but on occasion does review and consider pieces beyond this scope such as literary nonfiction, poetry and translations.    

In 2018, following the retirement of BUP’s 22-year longtime director, Greg Clingham, BUP welcomed its first full time, non-faculty director, Suzanna Guiod. Guiod described not only what BUP does and what UP week is but also why it is important. “University Press Week, established by President Carter in 1978 and celebrated annually by the Association of University Presses, draws attention to the work of university press publishers around the world and their impact on intellectual life and culture…Now in its 53rd year, BUP publishes new scholarly books in the humanities, collaborates with campus partners such as the Griot Institute, offers internships to Bucknell students interested in exploring publishing, and carries the Bucknell name and its reputation for academic excellence globally,” Guiod said. 

Beyond Guiod, the BUP team consists of managing editor Pam Dailey, Editorial Assistant Molly and an annually rotating Cynthia Fell Intern, who currently is Riley DeBaecke ’23. The Cynthia Fell Internship offers the opportunity for current sophomores, juniors or seniors to become involved in the press as well as learn more about scholarly publishing. This year-long internship, upon completion, offers one course credit to the intern. To apply, students must submit a letter of application along with a resume, two letters of recommendation, from either a professor and/or a previous employer and lastly an academic transcript. 

DeBaecke described why she wanted to become involved in BUP. “I decided to get involved with the Press because I have a passion for and do research on 18th century literature, which is Bucknell University Press’ primary focus. I also love reading and editing, and this internship allows me to do that on a daily basis! I am also interested in pursuing a career in scholarly publishing, and Pam Dailey, BUP’s managing editor, and Suzanne Guiod, BUP’s managing director, have given me a great introduction to the publishing industry… I recently proofread a manuscript by Maximilian Novak, a prominent 18th century scholar, and I had read and cited a lot of his previous work for my research this summer, so it was really cool to see my scholarship come full circle in that way,” DeBaecke said. 

Via the Bucknell Digital Commons, all books published from BUP since 2018 are available to students, faculty and staff for free. Furthermore, all of the BUP publications are available at Bertrand Library as well as some select titles which can be found in the Humanities Center library on the first floor of Hildreth-Mirza Hall. BUP publications can also be ordered online from their website at bucknelluniversitypress.org. Through using the code BUCKNELL40, students, faculty and staff alike can receive a 40 percent discount on their order. BUP’s website also offers information about the press’ book series, upcoming events, recent news and book reviews. More information about BUP and how they plan to celebrate “Keep UP” for this year’s UP week can be found on their blog: upress.blogs.bucknell.edu/.