On World Book Day, we’re sharing a blog written by staff in Liverpool University Press, to celebrate 125 years of the Press and the love and legacy of all things books and journals…
From a ‘Printing and Stationery Committee’ in 1899 to an award-winning, independent academic publisher today – home to thousands of books, some of the world’s first subject-specific scholarly journals, and a number of impressive digital collections – Liverpool University Press (LUP) has accomplished a great deal in 125 years.
Innovative and adaptable, LUP remains at the forefront of change both inside and outside of the academy. We’ve published seminal medical texts like Nobel Prize winner Ronald Ross’s 1902 work Malarial Fever, and, more recently, brought debut poetry collections by Janette Ayachi and Mona Arshi to the attention of the Saltire and Forward Prize committees through our Pavilion Poetry imprint.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, our Pavilion Poetry’s success would not have been possible without the work of LUP Marketing Manager and EDI lead, Lydia Osborne. Dedicated to accessibility, we’re digital-first wherever possible, and have been publishing Open Access content on a variety of platforms since 2010. With the acquisition of Dunedin Academic Press, our publishing will expand from the humanities and social sciences into the increasingly urgent area of Earth and Climate Sciences for the first time.
So how did we get here, and where are we going? To mark our 125th anniversary, this blog post traces the vibrant history of LUP with some help from the people that know it best: our staff.
Building Blocks
Although formed decades prior, LUP (originally The University Press of Liverpool) found its first and only purpose-built home at 123 Grove street in the Autumn of 1957, thanks largely to then-Secretary John G. O’Kane. It was during our time here that the University agreed to display our books in its new bookshop, the International Development Planning Review (IDPR) journal was proposed, we began promotions in North America, and the first volume in our acclaimed Translated Texts for Historians series was published.
Forty-two years, two freshly-painted red doors, and one successful re-brand later, in 1999 Liverpool University Press moved to its current residence on Cambridge Street – a renovated Georgian townhouse situated at the heart of the University campus. The relocation is remembered well by Trade Marketing Manager Janet McDermott, LUP’s longest-running member of staff. Since then, IDPR has remained one of our most-read journals, and Translated Texts for Historians now boasts its own e-library, a lucrative collection promoted by our Library Sales & Marketing Executive, Jessica Thompson. Additionally, we’ve formed partnerships with the likes of The Voltaire Foundation, whose publications are marketed by Executive Laura Neilson, and even have our own in-house subscription service, handled fastidiously by Kirsten Poole, Rebecca Taft, and Fern Ennis.
Our Books: A Personal History
From the economic and social significance of Margarine to the first biography of the Punk Rock band formed in John Lennon’s old art college, LUP’s eclectic lists wouldn’t be possible without our brilliant Editorial team, whose careers have evolved alongside our publishing. For Editorial Director Alison Welsby, it was Sarah Wilson’s Picassso / Marx that started it all – the ideal first book for an Art History graduate. That same year, Alison began working on The German-Jewish soldiers of the First World War in History and Memory by Tim Grady. The book, which she was most passionate about, went on to be named Runner-Up for the Gladstone Prize by the Royal Historical Society.
Based in Dublin, Senior Commissioning Editor Christabel Scaife signs new titles across many of our highly-regarded Literary and Irish Studies series. The first book she commissioned for LUP was a Writers and Their Work monograph on British Poet Wendy Cope. She also manages our Reappraisals in Irish History series, which saw its twentieth volume publish this year. Most recently, Christabel’s attention has turned to interdisciplinary ecocriticism. With the announcement of our new Liverpool Studies in Literature and Environment series, she hopes to open up a dialogue between Anglo-American scholars in the field, and those from the Global South.
Upon completing her final year university project as one of the Press’s Pavilion Poetry students, Chloe Johnson joined LUP and has since taken the Modern Languages and Postcolonial Studies subject area to new heights. Since 2022, her World Writing in French translation series has brought literature from across the archipelagos to English-speaking audiences, highlighting the important work of authors like Leïla Slimani and translators such as Martin Munro. World Writing in French is published in partnership with The Winthrop-King Institute, a centre leading the advancement of contemporary French and Francophone studies.
Following a cup of tea with Judith Ryder, Editor of Translated Texts for Byzantinists, during her first week at the Press, Clare Litt began growing our Classics and Medieval Studies lists. She has overseen the continuation of prosperous acquired series Exeter Medieval Texts and Studies and Aris & Phillips Classical Texts, whilst also seeking to establish us as a foremost publisher of the latest research in areas including women and agency in ancient cultures, and the archaeology of Viking Europe.
One of the latest additions to our Editorial department, Ally Lee has moved from Slavery studies to Stanley Kubrick in just a few years. The first book he commissioned, Listening to the Caribbean, offers a unique ‘sound studies’ approach to our understanding of early Caribbean societies and their enslaved people. Drawing on knowledge from his degrees in History and Film, Ally has played a pivotal role in publishing books on the methods and artistic vision of renowned directors, and genres like horror, science fiction, and more.
Picked by Production: Cover Design
Experts at project and people management, our Production team – Patrick Brereton, Sarah Warren, Katharine Easterby, and Harriet Barton – work with authors, editors, typesetters, and other colleagues both inside and outside of the Press, carefully guiding the print and digital publication process from start to finish. They’re also often the first to see the final version of our books and journals (and their all-important covers) as they arrive from the printers. Sourcing images and rights, Editorial Assistant Rebecca Graham is also an integral part of the cover design process, and for this anniversary blog post, she and Production have taken a look through the archives and selected their favourite LUP artwork (below) – from William Hogarth and vintage cars, to Darth Vader and The Beatles.
Foundational Texts and Free Issues: Our Journals
When the Press faced closure in the 1980s, it was argued that the loss of one of the oldest sources of academic journal publications would be felt heavily by the University and its faculty. Fortunately, LUP persevered, and thanks to Clare Hooper, Emma Burridge, Natasha Bikkul, and Alice Burns, this essential part of our history is now widely recognised – and still being built upon. To spotlight Natasha and Alice’s 2024 free issues campaign, below are three of our oldest and most groundbreaking journals to add to your reading list.
Town Planning Review: Town Planning Review is the world’s oldest planning journal, and has been a leader in its field since 1910. Volume 92.1 is the first in the journal’s COVID-19 Viewpoints series, and examines the immediate impact that the pandemic had on our cities in terms of ‘Housing’ and ‘Urban Form’. Read this issue for free here.
Extrapolation: Founded in 1959 by Thomas D. Clareson, Extrapolation was the first journal to publish academic work on science fiction and fantasy. Volume 62.3 contains articles on Synners Gift, and Welcome to Night Vale. Read this issue for free here.
Bulletin of Hispanic Studies: Since its founding by Edgar Allison Peers in 1923, Bulletin of Hispanic Studies has become the foremost British academic journal devoted to the languages, literatures, and civilizations of Spain, Portugal and Latin America. The journal celebrated its centenary in 2023. Read Volume 98.1 for free here.
Looking Forward
In an ever-evolving publishing landscape, LUP has stood the test of time, making important changes even in its anniversary year. In March, our North American distribution will switch over to Longleaf Services, in a move driven by our Head of Sales and Marketing, Jennie Collinson, and assisted by Sales Administrator Lily-Maia Baraclan-Smith. A new royalties system will soon be implemented by our Finance team, made up of Justine Greig, Charlotte Ward, Karen Phair, Roshanna Stuart, and Christian Burton. And in June, our dedicated C.E.O. Anthony Cond will succeed Jane Bunker to become the first AUPresses President from outside of the Americas in its almost 90-year history. With much more to come, keep up-to-date with the latest 125 announcements, brought to you by Catherine Pugh and Bayley Cornfield, by following us on Twitter and Instagram.