The Center for Excellence in Writing at Portland State University in Oregon has launched both a graduate degree program in book publishing and Ooligan Press, a general publishing and teaching imprint.
The new publishing imprint and graduate degree program will be directed by Dennis Stovall, formerly publisher (along with his wife, Linny) of Blue Heron Publishing. Stovall told PW he sold Blue Heron in 1998 and was subsequently hired by Portland State to start the publishing program. "The university's attitude is that since I've started one bootstrapped small press, I can do another. So Ooligan is expected to pay its own way."
The Ooligan Press is named after a type of smelt, a small fish that was an economic anchor in Native American culture in the Northwest. Its titles will be distributed by Consortium.
Stovall said students will have a hand in all press operations, from acquiring titles to design and production. And while Stovall said the press "is not a scholarly press," it will have imprints whose titles are generated by university departments. Portland State's Conflict Resolution program is preparing three books for an imprint to be called Resolution Books. The press is also negotiating the acquisition of, among others, a first novel, two books on writing, a nonfiction photo essay work, several fiction reprints and a cookbook series.
The graduate program will offer an M.A. or M.S. in writing with a concentration in book publishing. Stovall said there is no shortage of students; 13 graduate students are currently in the program with as many applications on file for admission. Courses include Introduction to Book Publishing, Book Editing and Bookselling. Classes are open to all graduate and undergraduate students at Portland State.
