After conducting a national search, the University of Cincinnati Libraries has announced that Elizabeth Scarpelli has been named director of the University of Cincinnati Press, which was launched by the university this summer. Scarpelli has more than 25 years experience in scholarly publishing, most recently at Baker & Taylor and Bookmasters, where she served as the director of publisher services managing the POD program for academic publishers and university presses worldwide and fulfillment relationships for client publishers. She also developed programs to expand international printing capabilities and faculty services.
Scarpelli will assume her responsibilities on January 9, 2017.
Scarpelli, who began her career at Prentice Hall, has also worked at Rutgers University Press, where she served as assistant press director and sales and marketing director. She also worked previously as college sales manager for Cambridge University Press.
The University of Cincinnati Press is intended, university officials declared when its launch was announced, to strengthen the university's relationship with the public by serving as a bridge between the institution and the community beyond. It will focus on two programs in both print and digital formats: scholarly works on social justice issues and a regional imprint spotlighting the history of Cincinnati with an emphasis on social justice themes.
"Its focus on social justice and innovation represents our institutional commitment to local and global engagement. We expect it to become a national and international resource,” stated university president Beverly J. Davenport in a release.
