Brenna McLaughlin reflects on the history and possible futures of the Books for Understanding program.

1. {
SLIDES for
UNDERSTANDING

2.  Online bibliographies of AAUP members’
publications on current events and issues in the
news
 www.booksforunderstanding.org
 Originally published as standalone
“Books for Understanding September 11”
published September 2001
Scholarship Beyond the Headlines

3. Bestsellers

4. Backlist

5. So Much More

6. 1100+ Titles

7. ~80 Publishers

8.  Expanded February 2002
(“Civil Liberties” and “The Enron Affair”)
 Almost 60 lists published by June 2014
 Approximately 12,000 titles listed
 118 presses featured
BFU Today

10. No Idea Has Not Been Had
 “AAUP Best Books” (late 90s)
 Interface to upload and feature extensive book
information—image, description, reviews, etc.
(Designed by Illinois’ Paul Arroyo)
 No buy-in from overburdened press marketing
& publicity staff

11.  Immediacy
 Simplicity
 Simplicity
 Simplicity
(and immediacy)
Reasons for Initial Success

13. {
Pay no attention
to the man
database behind
the curtain!
How does it work?

14.  Editorial Development
 Email Submissions
 Cranky FileMaker Database
 Idiosyncratic Web Architecture
 Basic Promotion
 Static/Text Web Pages
 Annual Updates
How does it work?

15.  Automated acceptance of metadata feeds
 APIs to create “Buy/Find This Book Links”
 Visual interest
 Analytics
 [Your More Exciting Ideas Here]
How Could It Work?

16.  Compelling illustration of the value of
university presses
 Immediately comprehensible by/useful to
many audiences
Why Make it Work?

17. Tomorrow’s Books for Understanding?

18. http://www.nap.edu/academ-scope/

19.  Brenna McLaughlin
Director, Marketing & Communications
Association of American University Presses
bmclaughlin@aaupnet.org
www.booksforunderstanding.org