Publishing/Publication management, University of Glasgow

University of Glasgow

Publishing

Publication management

Publications Standing Committee 1925-1968

Publications Committee 1968-1973

Publications Board 1973-1984

Publications Committee 1984-c1998

Publications Office 1969-1978

Information and Publicity Office 1978-1987

Information and Publicity Services Department 1987-1996

Publicity Services 1996 to date

University of Glasgow Press Limited 1972 to date

Until 1969, the University did not undertake any publishing directly. Instead, it employed the services of a series of printers or publishers. Some of these printers and publishers were formally appointed by the Faculty or Senate as printers to the University but others appear to have been merely associated with and encouraged by the University. The earliest of these appointments for which there is evidence is George Anderson, appointed in 1638. Subsequent appointments included Andrew Anderson in 1657, Robert Sanders the elder in 1672, Robert Sanders the younger in 1694, Hugh Brown in 1714, Donald Govan in 1715, Alexander Carmichael and Company in 1730, Alexander Miller in 1738, Robert Foulis in 1743, Andrew Foulis in 1776, James Mundell in 1795, James and John Scrymgeour in 1802, Andrew Duncan in 1811, Hutcheson and Brookman in 1831, Brookman, Hutchison and Khull in 1832, Khull in 1833, George Richardson in 1848, Charles Griffin in 1853 and Robert MacLehose in 1872.

In 1925, the University took more of an involvement in publications management when the Court appointed a Standing Publications Committee. The University still did not undertake any publishing directly but the Committee was appointed to offer assistance to members of University staff towards publication through the usual channels. This Committee, which reported to the Senate and thence to the Court, had a sum of money placed at its disposal by the Court for this purpose. Any works published at the cost of the University were to be issued under the general description Glasgow University Publications. In deciding on the merits of individual works, the Committee referred them to faculties or special committees. In 1968, it changed its name to the Publications Committee. In 1973, it changed its name again, to the Publications Board and, in 1984, it reverted to the title Publications Committee. By 1998, it had effectively become a subset of the University Research Committee.

In 1969, following the termination of its arrangement with its current publishers, Jackson Son and Company, the University embarked on its own publication programme. Between 1969 and 1972, publications financed by the University Court or by lectureship foundations were published directly by the University through its Publications Office, which made use of the services of a number of different printing firms. Such publications continued to be issued under the general description of Glasgow University Publications. In addition, and in continuation of earlier practice, a certain number of learned works were published for the University of Glasgow by the Oxord University Press on a commission basis, and similar arrangements were made with other publishing houses. In 1972, a private company called the University of Glasgow Press Limited was incorporated and made responsible through the Publications Committee (known as the Publications Board between 1973 and 1984) to the Court and Senate. The main object of its establishment was to protect the imprint, The University of Glasgow Press, from possible use by unauthorised persons but it also had the effect of encouraging an increased flow of manuscripts, mainly by members of staff, to the Publications Board for publication, either under the new imprint or by outside firms with financial assistance from the Board in the form of guarantee against loss. As a result, the activities of the Publications Board expanded. Activities included the publication of books written by members of staff or of works commissioned by the Court, arrangements with other publishers, normally the Oxford University Press, for the publication of works on a commission basis and subventions to authors of books accepted by other publishers in the form of guarantees against loss. The Publications Office continued to deal with every aspect of publishing including editorial work, design, costing, marketing and distribution. In 1978, it was replaced by the Information and Publicity Office which, in turn, was replaced in 1987 by the Information and Publicity Services Department. In 1996, the department was renamed Publicity Services. Within the department, a Publications Unit helped staff produce publications as well as being responsible for the publication of the University's major promotional publications including the University staff newsletter, the annual report, the graduates' magazine Avenue, the Media Directory and the research promotional bulletin Leading Edge.

By 1996, the University of Glasgow Press Limited had become a dormant company. In 1998, the imprint was registered as a trademark in order to protect it.

Court minutes 1925-1997 Ref: GB 0248 GUA C 1/1
 

Court papers 1925-1964 Ref: GB 0248 GUA C 1/4
 

Court camera minutes 1925-1944 Ref: GB 0248 GUA C 1/2
 

Court camera papers 1925-1944 Ref: GB 0248 GUA C 1/5
 

Senate minutes 1925 to date Ref: GB 0248 GUA SEN 1/1
 

Senate meeting papers 1925-1998 Ref: GB 0248 GUA Senate papers
 

Minutes, annual reports, press cuttings, press releases, correspondence and papers of Publications Committee and its predecessors 1924-1987 ref: To be confirmed
 

Glasgow University publications 1947-2002 Ref: GB 0248 GUA IP/5
 

Glasgow University list of published work 1952-1992 Ref: GB 0248 GUA IP 5/7
 

Title of function/activity taken from Elizabeth Parker's Function Activity Model (report compiled for JISC). Function and activity description compiled according to GASHE's Standard for Creating Function and Activity Descriptions.

Publishing, Publishing policy development, University of Glasgow

Publishing/Publishing strategy development, University of Glasgow