University Presses Struggling

Like their larger, more corporate counterparts, university presses are struggling to combat the downturn brought on by the current economic recession. According to the Yale Daily News, the Yale University Press "is considering cutting back on some publishing runs and will ramp up its e-book program." A survey of 62 university presses suggests those presses "have seen an average of a 10 percent drop in both net unit sales and net dollar sales in the July to December 2008 period, compared to the same period in 2007." In line with the survey results, the University of Pennsylvania Press "has seen revenue decline around 10 percent." The Cornell University Press is suffering "slower sales across the board."

The hardship is not limited to university presses in the US. Earlier this year, Cambridge News reported the Cambridge University Press's intention to eliminate 160 staff positions.