What does UT Press look like as it celebrates its 75th anniversary?

The press started as a pretty small affair in 1950, publishing about Texas and Mexico—areas we’re still very active in. Over the years we’ve added what have turned into important programs in classics, Latin American studies, music, food—we call our subject areas “big tents,” with lots of different subfields under each. We pride ourselves on publishing serious, scholarly books targeted at niche audiences as well as general interest trade books—some about Texas and a lot about everything else. We now have a backlist that’s 4,000 deep.

How important is Texas to the identity of the press?

It is inseparable, but when we publish a book on Texas, we want it to be serious scholarship, and books that connect the culture and history of Texas to larger historical and cultural narratives, rather than looking at the state in isolation. We’re seeing Texas as part of the world. As Texas has changed, and the people have changed, so have our books.

With so many schools closing university presses, what’s your relationship with the university like?

As a whole the university has been very supportive. It includes us in a group commonly referred to as its “gems”: the Blanton Museum, the Brisco Center for American History, the Harry Ransom Center—one of the largest literary archives in the world. The difference is that while the others tend to contain their collections within their walls, we’re actively trying to sell ours.