Holdings University Press University Press Board University Press Book Catalogs Finding Aid Holdings University Press University Press Board University Press Book Catalogs Finding Aid By Carol Berthold
Title: University Press Book Catalogs, 1941-2022
ID: 38/1/801
Primary Creator: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. University Press
Other Creators: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. University Press Board
Extent: 3.66 cubic feet
Arrangement:
Materials are arranged in two series:
Series 1) Catalogs, which are arranged chronologically
and Series 2) Administrative Records, which are arranged alphabetical by subject.
Date Acquired: 00/09/1963. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Book Catalogs, Books, Press, Press Releases, Publishers, Publishing, University Press
Formats/Genres: Catalogs
Languages: English
Consists of book catalogs showing titles, authors, prices and contents of materials in print and administrative records about the production of the book catalogs, documenting the books produced by the University of Illinois Press from 1921-2024. Notably, the series includes a special listing of Illini Books.
The University of Illinois Press was organized in 1918 to have charge of the work of editing, printing, and distributing the publications of the University. Prior to this, several books were published bearing the imprint University Studies. The Press is a general university division whose chief administrative officer is the Director of the University Press. The Director is appointed annually by the Board of Trustees, and is responsible to the University President through the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The operations and policies of the Press are maintained under advisement of a University Press Board composed of the Director, the Deans of the Graduate Colleges or their representatives, and six appointed faculty members.
The first director of the Press was Harrison E. Cunningham, who also served on the university's Board of Trustees. Under Cunningham's leadership, the Press published works of interest primarily to the scholarly reader, specifically monographs by faculty members and doctoral students. Cunningham gained a reputation for printing books in social science, language and literature, biological science, and medical science. In 1949 Wilbur Schramm became the director of the Press, founding the Institute for Communications Research and publishing several strong books in the field of communications. Following Schramm, Miodrag Muntyan and Richard L. Wentworth served as directors. During the 1960s and 70s the Press became a leading publisher of American social history, particularly for labor and working-class history. Developed by editor Judith McCulloh, the series Music in American Life continues to produce influential books. In 1999, Willis G. Regier became director, broadening its series and scope.
The Press has printed several academic journals since its inception. Some of these journals include: The Journal of English and Germanic Philology, the American Journal of Psychology, the Journal of American Folklore, Ethnomusicology, the Journal of Appalachian Studies, and the Journal of Sport History.
The Press continues to publish scholarly works. Priority is given to local manuscripts, but works produced at other institutions without presses are not excluded from consideration. Although the Press attempts to show a modest profit, it is not primarily a profit-making institution and receives subsidies from the Graduate College as well as from some foundations. The University of Illinois Press has sales representatives in Canada, the British Isles and Continental Europe, Latin America, and Japan.
Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Accruals: An additional four boxes of catalog books were acquired on July 23, 2025 with Judith McCulloh's Editorial Papers.
Acquisition Source: unknown
Acquisition Method: Gift
Submit request (Aeon)
Email us about these publications
Print this information