The Friends of the University of Nevada Press
The Friends of the University of Nevada Press is a statewide citizens group dedicated to publishing books that make a meaningful contribution to the scholarly world and to the State of Nevada. This support group will be made up of individuals who see value in the works published by the Press and who are dedicated to ensuring the continued success of its authors.
One of the main goals of the Friends of the Press is to solicit financial assistance that supports the publishing program by addressing the costs associated with the production process. These grants, gifts, and bequests go toward the Press’s General Endowment Fund or toward the following book series:
America’s National Parks
Basque Studies
Gambling
Mining and Society
Urban West
Wilbur S. Shepperson Series in Nevada History
Test Site Poetry Series
Cultural Ecologies of Food Migration, Demography, and
Environmental Change: Global Challenges
Waterscapes: History, Cultures, and Controversies
The Margaret Dalrymple Memorial Endowment Fund
For more than 20 years, Margaret Dalrymple (1939-2022) was an integral member of the University of Nevada Press publishing team. Hired as the editor-in-chief in 1995, Margaret officially served in this position, assisting with the publication of hundreds of scholarly and trade books, until her retirement in 2000. She also served as acting director during a time when the Press faced serious financial issues, a challenge Margaret rose to and resolved through perseverance and collaboration with the staff. More recently, Margaret came out of retirement three times to assist the Press when there were position vacancies, including acting as acquisitions editor during the Covid crisis.
Without Margaret’s devotion to her work and her vast knowledge of the academic publishing industry, the Press would not be as successful as it is today. Her commitment to upholding the Press’s high standards of publishing excellence bolstered its reputation and made it an important asset within the Nevada System of Higher Education. For this reason, the staff has chosen to honor her through the establishment of the Margaret Dalrymple Memorial Endowment Fund, which will support the general operations of the Press, including acquisitions, book production, marketing, and sales.
The Press is deeply grateful you have chosen to give to this fund. Because of your support, Margaret’s legacy will continue to impact the publication of worthy scholarship in perpetuity.
Our History
The Press has been publishing books for more than sixty years. With nearly 600 scholarly and trade books
in print, it has performed a herculean task in documenting Nevada’s history in nearly every field of inquiry from governmental affairs to natural history to environmental conservation.
The Press has earned both national and international recognition. In 1982, it was awarded membership in the Association of University Presses, a prestigious international organization of select scholarly publishing houses.
The Press is supported by both public and private funding. A portion of staff salaries are provided by state
appropriation. Receipts from book sales, however, are stretched to cover nearly ninety percent of all operating costs, including the manufacturing cost for future book publications.
Gifts, whether large or small, are critically important to the well-being of the Press and come from many
sources. All gifts received go toward meeting the ever-rising costs of book production, marketing, and distribution. Donations made to the Press may be tax deductible; consult your tax professional.
Despite its record of publication, the Press is constantly confronted with major book projects that must
be delayed or declined because of insufficient funding.
In every instance, these book projects will make significant contributions to knowledge and to the prestige of the University of Nevada, Reno; the Nevada System of Higher Education; and the State of Nevada.
About University Presses
The tradition of university presses as the cutting edge of acquired knowledge is a venerable one. It was at Cambridge University in England that the first university press was founded—in 1584. In the four centuries since, the concept of university presses as publishing arms for the academic world has spread from continent to continent. For the most part, these presses are found either at very large or very old universities.
University presses form a select group of 152 out of many thousands of institutions of higher learning in the United States. Their common bond is one of high publishing standards and a deep commitment to books that make a lasting impact. Unlike commercial books with short-term entertainment value (and therefore short life), the typical university press book is enduring, often for generations. Why? Because its purpose is the recording of knowledge, to yield between its covers something of value,
something that will be read and referred to for many years to come.
The single biggest problem facing university presses today, regardless of their age and size, is financing. It is one thing to publish meaningful books. It is another thing to stay solvent while doing so. Given the ever-increasing costs of producing new books, it is very difficult for university presses to fulfill their missions without help from the private sector.
When you choose to support the University of Nevada Press, your gift ensures the continued vitality of
the only university press in the state of Nevada. Because of your commitment to the Press, important works related to the people, culture, and history of the West will continue to be published, and our community will continue to benefit from the knowledge gained through the discovery of these titles.
Join us in helping the world explore the West, one page at a time.