Re-engineering Scholarly Communication: A Role for University Presses?

<jats:p> The challenge posed by Scott Bennett to consider how we can better organize our system of scholarly communication recognizes the interdependence of the many components of the process: scholars, publishers, librarians, and learned societies. However, the solution Bennett outlines doesn't take into account the stake university presses have in rethinking our system of scholarly communication or their expertise in helping that process along. His concern that the supply of scholarly materials is disassociated from market demand ignores the fact that university presses were founded specifically to meet the intellectual demand for valuable scholarship, even when that demand is decidedly uncommercial. University presses have an important role to fill in the scholarly communication process, now and under any re-engineered scheme: providing content that is certified, edited, and presentable, all in a cost-effective manner. </jats:p>