News: Academic Publishing Weekly

Good news for the IMLS, Duke University Press enters MIT's D2O program, and the 2025 Pulitzer Prize book winners.

Posted on May 9, 2025 in News

IMLS Court Case Updates and Trump Fires Librarian of Congress

In some positive news for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal judge has issued a “‘narrow’ temporary restraining order” in a lawsuit filed by the American Library Association (ALA) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). As reported by the Associated Press, the order “bars the [Trump] administration from taking any more steps to dissolve the agency or its operations, fire any staffers or cancel contracts while the lawsuit is pending.” In other news, a preliminary injunction was granted in a separate court case filed by 21 attorneys general following an executive order seeking to eliminate the IMLS. NPR shared that district court Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ruled that the executive order “violated the Administrative Procedure Act,” and “disregards the fundamental constitutional role of each of the branches of our federal government.” In other library news, President Trump has fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. According to the Associated Press, Hayden was notified of her dismissal via email on Thursday.

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Wiley Partners with AWS and a New Report on GenAI in Higher Ed

Following the release of an AI licensing statement last week, Wiley has entered a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The collaboration supports the development of a generative AI agent that will “demonstrate how researchers can conduct comprehensive full-text scientific literature search across Wiley’s extensive journal content.” Next up, Ithaka S+R shared the results of interviews conducted under its “Making AI Generative for Higher Education” cohort project. Researchers and instructors from 19 institutions discussed their usage of generative AI, along with areas of concern. Key findings include increased support for AI literacy, a need for “further clarity around ethical standards,” and a perceived “gap in discipline-specific support resources.”

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Duke Joins MIT’s D2O and Trouble at Harvard University Press

Duke University Press will be entering the MIT Press’s Direct to Open (D2O) program, marking the initiative’s first collaboration with a university press. Starting next year, D2O will begin “providing open access to 20 frontlist titles [from Duke University Press] annually” and “include free term access to a paywalled collection of 250 key backlist titles.” The MIT Press shared that numerous purchasing packages will be available for participating institutions. Turning to Harvard University Press (HUP), multiple employees are raising concerns with current leadership. Harvard’s college newspaper The Harvard Crimson had coverage, speaking with over 14 former staff members, “all of whom criticized [HUP director George] Andreou’s management of the press.” According to The Crimson, issues at the press date back to Andreou’s hiring in 2017, with staff citing a substantial decrease in published titles, frequent criticism of employees, and a decline in the press’s reputation. Staff members have filed several complaints with human resources, written letters to the provost, and hosted organization-wide meetings, but they allege that problems persist. In response to The Crimson’s article, it appears Andreou sent a “staff-wide email” stating that, “Over the past seven years there have been many changes made at HUP to further our strategic priorities. While this process has been challenging…it has been necessary to ensure that we continue a successful trajectory.”

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2025 Library Systems Report, Emerald Publishing Acquisition, and Reflections on the NIH’s Public Access Policy

Emerald Publishing has purchased international press now publishers, which specializes in Business, Economics, Computer Science, and Engineering. The acquisition includes “over 50 books, 14 peer-reviewed journals and 28 Foundations and Trends serials.” APW readers may recall that Emerald Publishing also acquired Information Age Publishing (IAP) late last year. Next up, Scholarly Kitchen chefs offered reflections on updates to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2024 Public Access Policy. Of note, the revised policy bumped up NIH’s timeline for implementation of the Nelson Memo to July 1, 2025. The chefs discussed how the augmented timeline will affect market consolidation, peer reviewers, and librarians, along with the cost of implementation. Last, independent library consultant Marshall Breeding published the “2025 Library Systems Report.” The report covers a range of library technology trends and developments, including the growth of open-source systems, leadership changes, and the impact of AI.

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Pulitzer Prize Winners, AUPresses Book, Jacket, and Journal Show Recipients, and New Books for May

The 2025 Pulitzer Prizes are here! University presses were represented in two categories, with Oxford University Press awarded in history for Edda L. Fields-Black’s Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom During the Civil War and Princeton University Press receiving the general nonfiction award for Benjamin Nathans’s To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement. In addition, the Association of University Presses (AUPresses) revealed the recipients for the 60th iteration of the Book, Jacket, and Journal Show. The titles are currently on virtual display and will also be part of a traveling exhibition to member institutions. Last, Literary Hub highlighted 27 new works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for May.

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