About
Founded in 2015, the Pacific University Press is a service of the Pacific University Libraries. As a hybrid open access publisher, the press is focused on
- creating opportunities for authors with diverse viewpoints to share their scholarly and creative work, and
- promoting the discovery and use of that work through the use of open access and hybrid publishing and agile licensing models.
Through its three imprints – Pacific University Press, Tualatin Books, and 1849 Editions – the press publishes work that aligns with, and complements, Pacific University’s mission and educational programs. Pacific University Press’ acquisition and editorial processes are designed to not only provide authors with substantive editorial support, but to also engage the Pacific University community in the production of scholarly and literary works.
Contact Pacific University Press
General inquiries, manuscript queries, or requests for proposal forms/templates may be directed to press@pacificu.edu.
Our Mission
The Pacific University Press advances the Pacific University Libraries’ fundamental mission of making useful information openly available to our local and global communities. Through publishing practices that emphasize authorial agency, editorial engagement, and equitable access, the press tangibly models the attributes that Pacific University seeks to instill in our students: Excellence in Scholarship, Diversity of Thought, and the Pursuit of Just and Sustainable Communities.
Excellence in Scholarship
Scholarship is inherently a dialogic and collaborative process, and the quality of scholarship and literature is improved when it is informed by others’ work and critical feedback. Through its editorial and review processes, the Press is dedicated to providing authors with the support and feedback necessary to produce excellent works of scholarship and literature.
Diversity of Thought
The Press is committed to publishing work that reflects not only diverse cultural, racial, ethnic, and geographic perspectives, but also a diversity of ideas, experiences, and viewpoints. In doing so, the Press hopes to contribute to altering the knowledge base of the academy—to building a body of scholarship and literature that will inform more empathetic and culturally competent research, policy, and citizenship.
Just and Sustainable Communities
Along with other scholarly publishers, the Press shares a dual responsibility—to our scholarly community and to our global community. Through open access and hybrid publishing models, the Press is contributing to a more sustainable system of scholarly communication and higher education for scholars and students. The Press’ publishing models also ensure that useful knowledge is available to inform both individual and communal research and advocacy, which is an essential step in creating more just and equitable communities.
How We Publish
We are a hybrid publisher. While the Press is primarily a digital open access press, we acknowledge that this model is not appropriate or necessary to meet the needs of some authors and readers. Our core commitment is to disseminating scholarly and creative works under access, use, format, and revenue models that are appropriate for the author’s community and for both the intended and prospective communities of readers. In all cases, appropriate models are those which are deemed to respect authors’ intellectual property, to remove barriers to access for useful knowledge, and to recognize disciplinary differences in the production and distribution of written works.
What We Publish
The Press welcomes submissions from any author, regardless of institutional affiliation (or lack thereof). We publish work in areas that align with, and complement, the mission and educational programs of Pacific University. Our areas of emphasis are: liberal arts and sciences, health professions, education, business, and literature. In these areas, we seek to publish works that meaningfully contribute to scholarly discourse, to the advancement of professional practice, or to the role of literature in understanding the human condition.
In order to best meet the needs of the diverse works across these areas, the Press publishes books under three imprints:
Works published under the Press’ primary imprint are those considered to be traditional scholarly or academic texts. Such works will generally utilize the monographic form to critically and systematically examine a topic, thesis, or individual (in the case of biographical works). Works may be single-author or may be edited collections from multiple authors. Texts will be published as open access ebooks, with print-on-demand available.
Works published under the Tualatin Books imprint are those which are specifically intended for a practitioner (e.g. educator, health care professional) audience, with an emphasis on immediate application within the field of practice. Such works may include, but are not limited to, descriptions of best practice for a particular pedagogy or modality; collections of curricular materials; or manuals/handbooks. Textbooks and similar educational resources intended for use by students in an educational program are also published under the Tualatin Books imprint. Texts will be published as open access ebooks, with print-on-demand available.
Works published under the 1849 Editions imprint are limited to works of short fiction (short story collections or novellas) and poetry. The Press’ primary focus under this imprint is on English-language works by first-time or emerging authors, although translated works may be considered.Texts will be published as ebooks and be available via print-on-demand, with some works being offered from the Press directly through a limited print run. Digital open access distribution will be available at the author’s discretion.
Works published under the New Ground Books imprint are limited to books of poetry, short stories, and hybrid forms written by authors of cultures and groups that have been largely underrepresented in mainstream publishing. The imprint is especially interested in publishing writers who use language to explore their own experiences and cultural traditions in order to strengthen identity and expand understanding. New Ground produces beautifully bound books by compelling artists and actively promotes their work to a larger reading audience.