UNC Press Receives Grant to Support System-Wide Publishing Initiatives

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UNC Press contact: John McLeod, 919-962-8419, john_mcleod@unc.edu

UNC Press Receives Grant from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust to Support System-Wide Publishing Initiatives

In August 2015, with grant funds provided by the office of University of North Carolina president Thomas W. Ross, the University of North Carolina Press launched the Office of Scholarly Publishing Services (OSPS) with the purpose of providing sustainable, mission-driven publishing models and solutions to the campuses of the UNC system. Today, the Press announces a $50,000 one-to-one challenge grant from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust to support the work of the OSPS. Established in honor of President Ross for his vision and support of the OSPS, this eventual $100,000 expendable fund will provide small grants for publishing projects.

“This generous grant from the Kenan Trust will benefit institutions throughout the system as they begin to launch publishing initiatives with the OSPS,” commented Junius Gonzales, senior vice president for academic affairs for the University of North Carolina. “We are very appreciative of the opportunities this grant will provide.”

“Initial publishing costs are often barriers to institutions that want to publish the work of their faculty,” said John McLeod, director of the OSPS. “There are some exciting initiatives under way that just need a modest financial push to get off the ground, and we anticipate that these funds will really make an impact.”

The OSPS will issue a call for proposals early in the summer of 2016. Enabling the creation of Open Educational Resources and creating sustainable publishing initiatives that advance institutions’ missions will be two broad criteria that applicants will be asked to consider. Projects will be evaluated by a group composed of UNC Press staff, a representative from the University Library Advisory Council, and Matthew Rascoff, vice president for technology-based learning and innovation at the University of North Carolina.

“We are extremely grateful for the Kenan Trust’s support of this significant new effort,” said John Sherer, the Spangler Family Director of UNC Press. “It will allow the Press to create system-wide efficiencies and opportunities to lower costs to students, libraries, and other campus units.”

The OSPS offers an array of services in three broad areas: editorial, design, and production; sales, marketing, and distribution; and advising on copyright, publishing strategy, and business planning. By leveraging the expertise of UNC Press and its Longleaf Distribution Services platform, and by partnering with libraries, research centers, and other institutions, the OSPS seeks to offer high-level professional publishing support for people in the UNC System.

People interested in making a charitable gift in response to the Kenan Trust’s challenge should contact Joanna Ruth Marsland, director of development at UNC Press, at Joanna_Ruth_Marsland@unc.edu or 919-962-0924.

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