The University of Tennessee Press moves through history, from one book a year to digital books
Press reaches out to community, adapts for readers

September 8, 2004: Universities have a long tradition in the publishing world, nearly as old as the printing press itself. Oxford University published its first book in 1478, just 23 years after Johannes Gutenberg printed the Bible.

University presses play a unique role, because their publications allow those who can't sit in lecture halls to have access to the same scholarship and research as students. Founded on this principle in 1940, The University of Tennessee Press specializes in publishing books of both scholarly and regional interest.

The University of Tennessee Press published its first book, Tennessee: A Political Study, shortly after it was founded. The press published about one title a year until 1957, when it was given departmental status. Louis T. Iglehart, the first director, helped transform the press into a full-time scholarly publisher. He was able to build a professional staff and expand the list of publications. Today, the press publishes 40 titles per year, and many have gained regional and national recognition.

By stimulating research, distributing publications to a wide audience, and encouraging scholarship, the publications of the University of Tennessee Press extend the regional leadership of the university. All manuscripts submitted to the press are read by subject experts and approved by an editorial board.

The last decade has seen great changes in the publishing world, and the UT Press is no exception. A majority of the work and record keeping done by the press is now contained on electronic servers rather than on typeset pages or in notebooks. Digitizing books has extended the useful life of many works. Books are being placed on the Internet, and their attraction has been enhanced by video and audio technology. Joint publishing and distribution agreements with community organizations have expanded the important goal of university outreach. The University of Tennessee Press maintains its traditional mission, while adapting to the demands of 21st century readers.

2004 is the Year of the University Press. To celebrate, the University of Tennessee Press and University Libraries are presenting a symposium entitled The Book and The Scholar: Celebrating the Year of the University Press, September 23-24, 2004. The program will focus on the important role of the university press in the academic community and also offer a writing workshop with tips for publishing with a university press.

Details about the symposium are available on this web site. You may also contact Tom Post at the UT Press, 865-974-3321, for more information.

Event Program