Charles Backus at ITHAKA Forum

These days, most publishers are concerned with the fast-changing landscape of publishing and scholarship in the digital age.

Charles Backus, the Edward R. Campbell '39 Press Director, will serve on a panel tomorrow talking about the innovative ways Texas A&M University Press is grappling with these changes.

On the panel, "Changing the Game: New Approaches to Digital Publishing and Scholarship," Backus will join industry leaders like JSTOR Collection Development Manager Barbara Chin and Rice University Associate Provost for Innovative Scholarly Communication and Executive Director of Connexions Joel Thierstein.

Backus will have much to talk about:

Last year, the press took on a leading role in organizing a university-wide symposium on "The Changing Landscape of Scholarly Communication in the Digital Age," helping to bring nationally recognized speakers and more than 300 registrants throughout the state.

TAMU Press also helped garner a $282,000 planning grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for a joint initiative with five other university presses to develop digital monographs in the archaeology of the Americas field.

Meanwhile, the press has been collaborating with the Texas A&M University Repository and Texas Digital Library for the electronic, open-access publication of selected press books.

The press has recently redesigned its Web site, purchased a state-of-the-art title management database, and undergone other e-commerce enhancements that will position the press for continuing fundamental changes in scholarly publication.

The ITHAKA Forum, "Next Generation Digital Publishing, Preservation, and Scholarship" will be held from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Houston Marriott West Loop by The Galleria. '

The forum will focus on ITHAKA initiatives (by way of its services JSTOR and Portico) and digital efforts within the Texas higher education community.