Formerly an imprint of the University Press of New England—a university press consortium that published and distributed print books from 1970 to 2018—the University of Vermont Press was reestablished in 2023. A diamond open access scholarly publisher, UVM Press forgoes author processing fees to provide digital books and journals that are free to read and download online. In its commitment to bringing new opportunities and greater equity to scholarly publishing, UVM Press promotes free readership, free authorship, and immediate digital access to its entire catalog.
The press has two editorial directors, one for books and one for journals, and will add staff as it grows, says Thomas W. Krause, editorial director for books. It currently plans to publish books in the areas of New England history, general interest, public and planetary health, and religion. On the journals side, the press supports the fields of ecological engineering design and Black military studies, with additional subjects to be added over time.
Though it’s still getting its operation off the ground, the press has a number of exciting projects in the works. In its Janus Debate series, the press will publish short yet rigorous introductions to some of the most consequential debates of the day. The goal of the series, Krause says, is “to move past the misinformation, contentious language, and specious reasoning that often define modern discourse in the news and on social media, and instead present two sides of a debate with fairness, reason, and clarity.” Forthcoming Janus titles include books on nuclear energy, student loan debt forgiveness, hate speech, universal basic income, and capital punishment.
UVM Press embodies the spirit of this year’s press week theme of #StepUP as it strives to bring much-needed inclusion to scholarly publishing. “Our diamond open access model removes the financial barriers that often prevent researchers from publishing their work and that block readers from accessing scholarship trapped behind paywalls,” says Aimee Diehl, editorial director for journals. The Journal of Ecological Engineering Design, the press’s first title published under the diamond open access model, aims to “expand understanding of the science and design of ecosystem processes, functions, and services.” The forthcoming Journal of Black Military Studies will be an international, multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal that encapsulates the military experience, broadly defined, within and throughout the Black diaspora.
Looking ahead to 2025, the press is set to release a history of Landmark College, the foremost college in the United States devoted to serving neurodivergent learners. Located in Putney, Vt., Landmark will celebrate its 40th anniversary in November 2025, and UVM Press hopes to celebrate with them by releasing the first comprehensive history of the college and its many remarkable students and faculty.
