At OUP, we recognize the importance of building confidence around reading, nurturing it as an essential skill for success, and inspiring a lifelong love of reading that can continue throughout people’s lives. All forms of reading are valid, and we support reading in a variety of digital formats, broadening access to reading opportunities in line with our mission.

Expanding access to language and literacy is reflected in the work of our team. Not only does the team publish trusted dictionaries, it also provides the lexical and language datasets empowering a wide range of technologies and applications, supporting learning and comprehension across our digital lives.

Oxford Languages offers a variety of dictionary data in more than 60 languages. Providing dictionary content in digital format supports integrated experiences in operating systems, eReaders, educational software, accessibility tools, and more. These digitally embedded experiences have become the preferred route to find the meaning of a word or synonyms in the digital age.

Supporting a lifelong love of reading

The ability to support comprehension, vocabulary development, and inclusive learning is just as important as the content itself.

Through , a reading app developed by OverDrive, we’re able to enhance reading outcomes for millions of readers of all ages by making trusted language data available through a global digital library platform.

Our dictionary data is integrated into the app, allowing students to seamlessly look up accurate definitions for words as they encounter them, including via Sora’s ‘read-along’ mode.

Inspiring a new generation of poets

We’ve worked with the charity t since it was founded in 2012. Its national poetry-speaking competition for schools and colleges in England helps to develop students’ confidence in poetry in an accessible and engaging way.

The charity’s website contains anthologies which link out to selected open access听 entries, allowing students to explore the historical context behind the language used in poems, deepening their appreciation and understanding of the art form.

The competition has continued to grow, and in 2025 over 127,000 young people were invited to learn a poem, with over 1,600 schools taking part in the national competition. Each winner is awarded a digital subscription to the听OED for their school, as well as a book of poetry published by OUP to take home. We’re proud to work alongside Poetry by Heart to foster a lifelong appreciation of poetry and language beyond the classroom.

Playing with words

We provide word game developers with our language data so that they can create games that challenge players to expand their vocabulary.听

We support two types of听word games. 鈥榃ord validation鈥� ensures that a word played in a game is a real word, like in Scrabble or Wordle. Most games display a short definition to prove the validity of any word that is challenged,听and so听developers require a list of words and definitions to be able to听validate听the words in the game.听

The other type is 鈥榳ord selection鈥�,听where games such as Wordle or wordsearches already have pre-selected words in the background as answers that the player is looking for. Developers need听additional听metadata such as wordform frequencies to be able to select familiar or unfamiliar words according to difficulty levels. They might want to exclude words like proper nouns, abbreviations, or vulgar and offensive words.听听

In conversation with听the听mobile game developer鈥�,听we听came up with听the idea of听creating a package of dictionary-related features from our database in a consistent, clear format to serve as a toolkit to听developing听a variety of word games. Thanks to our toolkit,听we鈥檙e听supporting developers to create听appropriate, family-friendly games backed by our trusted language data, including听Easybrain鈥檚听Easy Words.听More recently,听we鈥檝e听been working with a听nursing听start-up with an interest in how听neuro听training can support patients with symptoms of dementia, to create the听word听game鈥�.听And finally,听Netflix鈥檚听Boggle Party听is听powered by our data to听validate听words and听provide definitions.听

More information about the toolkit can be found听.

Seen (and heard) on screen

Our dictionaries and their data are intrinsic to programmes like听Countdown, in which Oxford dictionaries are used to validate contestants’ answers as well as to suggest even longer, or more interesting, words.

This year,听Jeopardy!听added a new category to their quiz show named 鈥楴ew to the听翱贰顿鈥�,听testing contestants鈥� knowledge of words that entered the听Oxford English Dictionary听in one of听our听.听

Meanwhile, BBC Breakfast has launched a quiz featuring questions compiled by our lexicographers. One such question looked for avian-related synonyms of the words听quick,听ultramarine,听avoid,听cower, and听kooky. Ready for the answers? Head to听the听.听

Lastly, you can now hear from听OED听editors Fiona McPherson and Craig Leyland in our brand-new podcast,听. Listen as Fiona and Craig discuss recent additions to the听OED,听disclose听the mysterious practices of the historical lexicographer, and highlight intriguing aspects of our听language鈥檚听evolution.听

Fiona McPherson

Executive Editor, Oxford English Dictionary

鈥淥UP鈥檚 mission is central to everything that the鈥疧ED鈥痙oes, and public engagement plays a huge role in that. It is something that the鈥疧ED鈥痟as always valued and celebrated, from the early days of compiling the First Edition to the quarterly鈥疧ED鈥痷pdates published online now. The work we do as鈥疧ED鈥痚ditors is both informed by, and helps to, foster a love of words and learning in the public; whether it is by them contacting us about words they have encountered in their daily lives which are not yet included in the鈥疧ED, furnishing us with supporting material for the words already included, or even by the positive responses to our updates.听

鈥淎s we approach the 100-year anniversary of the completion of the First Edition of the鈥疧ED, it鈥檚 interesting to reflect on how those original editors might have viewed the work of their modern-day counterparts, and what they might have made of a very 21st鈥痗entury example of public engagement鈥攖he launch of an鈥疧ED鈥痯odcast.鈥澨�

You can join our mailing list to receive updates about celebrating the centenary of the听Oxford English Dictionary in 2028 .

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According to听the听,听students in听employment work an average of听14 hours per week.听Time to study听must听therefore听be spent听efficiently,听and so听it鈥檚听critical听that students鈥櫶齦earning paths are personalized to their needs so that they can more easily achieve their desired learning goals.鈥�听听

This need was in mind last year听when听we launched a brand-new feature on听鈥攐ur established and much-loved online platform which hosts our legal textbooks鈥攖he AI Study Assistant.

Built with students in mind听

The听tool听brings together the power of AI with the authority of听Law Trove鈥檚听trusted, peer-reviewed legal content to help students study more effectively and with greater confidence. Built as an enhancement to the existing听Law Trove听search experience, it enables students to generate听accurate听summaries, authoritative answers, and targeted quizzes that support understanding, revision, and exam preparation.听听

Shaped through user testing with lecturers and students, the tool is designed around real teaching and learning needs while upholding听Law Trove鈥檚听core commitment to reliable, high-quality legal education. As听Law Trove听was developed to give students access to the breadth of publishing that has made OUP the UK鈥檚 number one provider of legal educational material, it was only natural that we evolved the platform to reflect the rising use of AI in听higher听education to support our changing customer needs.

Everything听entered into听the听AI Study Assistant is anonymous, and because responses are only drawn from our content, we can ensure students are only accessing reliable source material. Students can input a query, and the听assistant will rapidly听provide an answer of up to 350 words, citing content sources within听Law Trove that they can click through to. They can also ask the assistant to formulate a quiz, and it will generate questions on a specific topic to reinforce their understanding, thus aiding study and exam preparation.听听

Supporting critical thinking around AI听

Moreover, earlier this year we supported the launch with the inclusion of an AI听literacy听module on听Law Trove. The module is available for all subscribers and covers generative AI fundamentals, academic integrity, critical thinking, and effective prompting. The aim is to听encourage students to apply critical thinking to generative AI content and usage within their course, throughout their education, and into their future careers.听

What students say听

The response from users has been incredibly positive,听with students听stating:听

• 鈥淭he AI听Assistant has been a great help and has made听Law Trove听incredibly more seamless and useful.鈥澨�

• 鈥淟aw Trove听has been a valuable resource to have during my studies especially with the new AI Assistant.鈥澨�

Lucy Read

Product Manager for Trove

鈥淲e know that students are using AI as a study tool. The AI听Study听Assistant generates responses grounded only in 糖心VLOG Press’s authoritative and trusted textbooks, meaning students now have听an appropriate way听to develop their AI skills in a suitable environment, supported by our AI literacy module.听I’m听excited that听we’ve听been able to successfully bring this functionality to听Law Trove听users.鈥�听

Learn more about the AI听Study Assistant听on听Law Trove, helping students gain greater confidence in their legal studies .

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To celebrate Libraries Week, we鈥檙e spotlighting OUP colleagues who help support and champion libraries through their work. Taking inspiration from this year鈥檚 theme, Libraries Change Lives through literacy and reading, we want to recognize the many libraries we work with around the world, and the role they play in connecting people with stories, knowledge, and community – particularly pertinent during the National Year of Reading. Here are some of the roles across our organisation that support Libraries.

Michael Spurling

Library Asset Management Specialist

鈥淚’m one of the specialists who run the library in OUP’s Oxford office, looking after the Education section.

鈥�While we are a digital-first business, it’s clear that printed books still have a special place. When children visit the library with their parents, their excitement is unmistakable. We’ve welcomed pupils from small village primary schools touring both the museum and library, sometimes their very first school trip. Their enthusiasm is infectious. They begin by eagerly exploring every section, pulling books from the shelves, until, gradually, a calm silence sets in. Inevitably, they gravitate towards the children’s section, settling down with picture books.

鈥淟ibraries are vital spaces that connect people with knowledge, inspiration, and each other, and being part of the OUP library means preserving access to our trusted content and helping colleagues make the most of it every day.鈥�

Kathi Fountain

Head of Business Development, Institutional Sales, Americas

鈥淚 joined OUP’s Academics Sales team in 2017 after nearly 20 years working as a librarian. Libraries and publishers really are aligned in their objectives to share knowledge and enable the creation of new knowledge鈥攚e are simply approaching these from different perspectives. For my part, I have relished the opportunity to better understand the inner workings of publishing. It has enabled me to serve as a translator between librarians and the Press.

鈥淎s part of this work, I have coordinated librarian feedback, and presented alongside librarians, including at a Choice webinar, all to further our mission.鈥�

Anna Shannon

Marketing Manager, Oxford Children’s

鈥淭hrough our wonderful Children’s books, we love working with libraries, and indeed librarians, in lots of ways: from organizing interactive author and illustrator events (often with an outreach focus), to partnering with key organizations like the Youth Libraries Group and School Library Association, where we exhibit at conferences, champion our creators for panel discussions, and more.

鈥淲e also collaborate closely with trusted library suppliers to make sure the right supplies find the right library shelves, and with organizations such as to support initiatives like the popular Summer Reading Challenge, where, this year, four Oxford Children’s titles were selected, including and . We’re always looking for new ways to celebrate reading through libraries, and most recently, our picture book author Donna David () was the keynote speaker at the Power of Libraries Conference and part of the London Book Fair panel on the role of libraries and bookshops in the National Year of Reading.鈥�

Julia Mielish

Discovery Manager

鈥淎s the Discovery Manager for OUP, I have the unique ability to apply my experiences as a librarian to听ensure听that we provide exceptional service and support for libraries that听acquire听OUP content. Working with the Discovery Working Group and our mutual library discovery partners, we prioritized setting up a NISO standard for KBART Automation, a service which streamlines and automates tracking of OUP content in library catalogs. This service is updated monthly with little interaction or ongoing maintenance, thanks to an API linking OUP to our discovery partners. In addition, libraries can听purchase听title-by-title content more freely without having to manage collections and activate specific titles within large collections. Librarians report being excited听for听the new offering and that it saves hours of manual work for their library staff.听听

鈥淲e are the first university press to automate KBART delivery, and work like this cannot be successful without strong collaboration across OUP that ensures that our metadata is accurate and can be delivered in a securely ensuring trustable data for our libraries.鈥�

Kate Dennis

Consortia Manager

鈥淎s a Consortia Manager at OUP, I build long-term partnerships with library consortia and work with them to ensure consortia agreements remain workable and sustainable in complex funding and policy environments.鈥�

Molly Hansen

Marketing Manager

鈥淚’ve always been a massive fan of libraries and librarians and am so grateful that my work at OUP intersects with them. Three years ago I completed a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro which gave me key insights into the ever-evolving world of libraries, archives, and more.听听

鈥淢y role at OUP recently expanded to include work on Library Community Initiatives which includes collaboration with librarians on conference sessions, webinars, and other content exploring changes in the industry and the evolving needs of library professionals.听I鈥檓听thrilled to be stepping into this work and look forward to working with librarians around the world.鈥�听

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In April 2026, we hosted the Oxford Journals Executive Summit at the Blavatnik School of Government in Oxford.

The event brought together senior leaders from scholarly partner societies and OUP journals colleagues for open, strategic discussion about the future of journal publishing. The Executive Summit provided a dedicated forum to explore shared challenges and opportunities in scholarly publishing, strengthen partnerships, and support long-term, sustainable decision-making in an increasingly complex research environment.

Previously run as Oxford Journals Day from regional locations, the Executive Summit has evolved into a re-imagined global event that aligns our journals strategy with informed insight into the real challenges facing our society partners. By bringing our community together in one location, the Summit reinforces our leadership role within the scholarly publishing sector.

This year’s event provided a platform for us to share our strategic direction and convene more than 125 society leaders around their shared responsibility to steward exceptional scholarly content. Through open dialogue and transparency, we aim to help shape the future of mission-driven publishing.

Creating space for strategic conversation

A central aim of the Executive Summit is to move beyond operational updates and provide space for candid, forward-looking discussion. Sessions focused on the challenges societies face as they seek to balance mission, quality, and sustainability in the context of shifting research behaviours, financial pressures, and technological changes鈥攎any as a result of rapidly-changing AI.

Participants attended a variety of session formats and explored questions around data-driven journal growth potential, portfolio stewardship, and how editorial, production, and publishing models may need to evolve. The Summit encouraged peer-to-peer exchange across disciplines, allowing society leaders to learn from one another’s experiences while engaging directly with OUP colleagues on shared priorities.

As one society delegate noted:

“I learned something new from each session and valued the opportunity to hear how OUP is approaching the most important issues facing the field of scholarly publishing today.”

Partnering through change: technology, integrity, and trust

Another key theme of the event was navigating change together, particularly in areas where publishers and societies must work in close partnership. Sessions addressed the impact of emerging technologies, including AI, on editorial processes and researcher expectations, alongside ongoing commitments to research integrity, trust, and transparency.

Discussions emphasized that no single organization can address these challenges in isolation. Instead, long-term success depends on strong relationships, shared understanding, and an honest assessment of trade-offs.

Feedback from the Executive Summit continues to shape how we engage with society partners, informs follow-up conversations, and influences the design of future events. By reinforcing shared goals and encouraging thoughtful, strategic dialogue, the Executive Summit plays an important role in supporting the sustainability and evolution of society journals within our broader mission.

Find out more about our journals publishing .

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Last week, we attended the London Book Fair to celebrate the vital role that publishing plays in our society, emphasize our support for authors, and come together with fellow publishers to mark the National Year of Reading.

London Book Fair is an international trade fair that brings together the publishing community in one place, providing the opportunity for us to connect with contributors and partners, share our insights as a leading voice in the industry, and celebrate the power of publishing.

During the three days of the fair, colleagues from across OUP met with customers and partners from around the world, exploring new opportunities and strengthening relationships during wide-ranging discussions.

Standing with authors and fellow publishers

We are proud to support the , which launched on the opening day of the fair.

Nearly 10,000 authors added their names to a book titled Don鈥檛 Steal This Book, protesting against mass copyright infringement by tech companies to train AI models. 1,000 copies of the book were published and appeared across publisher stands throughout the fair to raise awareness and visibility.

The initiative delivers a clear message: the UK government must not legalize book theft to benefit AI companies.

We stand with the publishing community in urging the government to reconsider their position of copyright exception. We need to harness the power of AI in a way that supports and sustains the researchers and educators whose work we publish and disseminate鈥攕omething that can be achieved effectively and fairly through negotiated licensing arrangements.

 

Moving knowledge and learning forward with our communities

Across the three days of the fair, our exhibition stand was a hive of activity and showcased the breadth and depth of our publishing across academic, research, education, English language teaching, and assessment. Colleagues across OUP鈥攆rom Sales, Marketing, Rights, Translation, and Editorial teams鈥攈osted hundreds of meetings with contributors and potential partners, many of whom had travelled from abroad to experience the fair.

Jurgen Verhaegen, Director – Core Markets in our English Language Teaching division, shared his takeaway from the fair:

鈥淚t was great to reconnect with several of our key existing partners, strengthening our ongoing collaborations and aligning on priorities for the coming year. The level of interest and the quality of conversations were encouraging.鈥�

We presented a selection of exciting new Oxford Children鈥檚 titles to a room of independent booksellers, including a range of picture books and two exciting new fiction titles: Gordon Saves the Day by Alex Latimer and The Diary of Wiska Wildflower: The Crystal Cave by Harriet Muncaster. We also unveiled the first books in our new , publishing in May and inspired by the Sky Kids TV show.

Eleonora Cavalli, Key Account Manager in our Education division, reflected on the presentation: 鈥淚t is always quite energizing to be in a room full of booksellers ready to champion reading and excited to know what is publishing next!鈥�

Celebrating the National Year of Reading

London Book Fair was also a major opportunity to come together with the publishing community to discuss and celebrate the in the UK.

Donna David, author of , joined a panel discussion on the Main Stage on Championing books locally: The role of libraries and bookshops in the National Year of Reading. The panel explored how libraries and bookshops help to inspire a lifelong love of reading among children within local communities. At a time when screens and digital distractions increasingly compete for attention, the panel emphasized the importance of reading for pleasure in building empathy, confidence, language skills, and imagination.

Grace Carruthers, Senior News and PR Manager, joined booksellers, publishers, and reading-focused organizations and charities for a celebratory reception, marking a key moment in the National Year of Reading. It was a great opportunity to connect with partners and reaffirm our shared commitment to encouraging reading across all communities.

鈥�It was amazing to hear the organizers reflect on everything that the National Year of Reading has already achieved in just three months and get a glimpse of the exciting milestones that are yet to come.听听

As a proud partner of the campaign, OUP has some fantastic plans lined up to champion the power of reading throughout the year. I left the reception feeling more inspired than ever to shine a light on all the wonderful work we already do in this area and keep amplifying why reading matters so much!鈥�

Joining key discussions and sharing our expertise

John Campbell, Product Strategy Director in our Academic division, joined a session at the Academic Conference confronting the core challenge facing scholarly communication: how to successfully transition to new models in an environment of shrinking library budgets, shifting institutional priorities, and technological change.

John shared some of the key trends and opportunities we鈥檙e seeing and responding to as AI impacts content delivery channels and traditional business models, as well as how changing researcher discovery and consumption habits are shaping our strategies.

“It was great to be back at London Book Fair representing OUP for a second year at the Academic & Professional Conference discussing fast-moving change in our industry. The conversation focused on the need for dynamic solutions that meet user need wherever research is happening with scholarly publishing values at the forefront; how we support the role of educational institutions and librarians as听trust enablers; and business models where value and outcomes converge for human or machine. The sessions were well-attended and well-covered, and the conference organizers delivered an insightful programme.”

Karen Sambrook, Senior HR Business Partner, joined a session organized by the aimed at sharing advice for those looking to move roles or at the start of their careers. In addition to her own experience, Karen shared what an employer like OUP can offer for early-career applicants to succeed and thrive.

We thank our colleagues, partners, and customers who travelled to join us for another productive and energizing London Book Fair, with so many important discussions taking place across the three days. We look forward to our continuing work together and next year鈥檚 fair.

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Last year, we launched the First Book Prize for early career researchers in the humanities and social sciences. The award, now in its second year, aims to support emerging scholars by providing broad dissemination for their first monograph.

The 10 winners from the award’s first cohort will have their debut book published fully open access鈥攚ith all fees waived鈥攁longside hardback publication, tackling subjects from ageing and migration to decolonization and digital archives in the Global South.

To celebrate the prize being once again, we speak to some of the individuals who made its inaugural year possible below.

Professor Madhu Krishnan

Chair of the Prize Committee for 2025

“This is a thrilling new initiative that champions the transformative power of humanities and social science research, which enables us to understand our world and its complexities in fundamental ways. At a time when the higher education landscape and such research are both under ever-increasing pressure, the OUP First Book Prize will provide a global platform for excellent and original research from the next generation of scholars.”

Jack McNichol, Acquisition Editor at OUP:

“I’ve had a fantastic year leading on the First Book Prize, and can’t quite believe that we’re already at the point of seeking applications for the 2026 award.

“It has been really rewarding to work with colleagues from across OUP to deliver this new initiative, and the reaction from the winners on hearing the news has been encouraging and inspiring. We hope this prize will really make a difference to their academic careers and the audiences they can reach with their work, and I’m looking forwarding to providing these opportunities to a new group of excellent scholars this year.”

Rebecca Lane

Senior Publisher in Open Access at OUP

“By making monographs open access, we break down barriers to knowledge and broaden the global impact of research, as open access means vital scholarship is freely available to all.”

Kaoutar Ghilani, 2025 First Book Prize winner:

“In a sense, this prize represents not only an important change for OUP and its active recognition of interdisciplinarity, but also a powerful way to make innovative research reach a wider public through the open access agreement. It is a powerful way to both recognize and make visible research projects that would otherwise have had to restrain their innovative approach to fit within already existing boxes.”

The criteria for submission and list of materials to be submitted for the 2026 prize remain the same as last year. Applications will be judged on the quality and originality of the research, and we will continue our focus on projects which are interdisciplinary and address complex societal problems. This may involve direct impact for real-world problems, deepening our understanding of societal problems or questions, or placing them within a wider context.

Applications for the First Book Prize 2026 can be made until the end of January 2026.

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Queen Elizabeth II: A Concise Biography of an Exceptional Sovereign by David听Cannadine

鈥淪he was obliged to respond to important changes initiated elsewhere in Britain and in the wider world beyond, which could be neither halted nor ignored by Buckingham Palace.鈥�

John Williams: A Composer’s Life by Tim Greiving

鈥淲ith notes and orchestral color, John Williams said what these characters could not. He was the omnipresent narrator, the magician behind the curtain.鈥�

Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores That Changed Cinema by Steven C. Smith

(In reference to Psycho)

鈥淭he film had been a risky experiment, financed by Hitchcock himself. And it might only exist today in massively shortened form as a television program, if not for Herrmann. When Hitch lost faith in the film before its scoring, it was his composer who rescued it with a daring idea: 鈥渢o complement the black-and-white photography of the film with a black-and-white sound,鈥� created entirely with strings.鈥�

The Great Museum of the Sea: A Human History of Shipwrecks by James P. Delgado听

鈥淭he common thread linking humanity across the span of time, language, religion, society, and culture is our relationship with 鈥渢he water.鈥� As a means of听transportation, for trade, for waging war, for gathering sustenance from the sea, through successive generations, people knew ships. And so, they also knew of shipwrecks.鈥�

Gotham at War: A History of New York City from 1933 to 1945 by Mike Wallace听

鈥淣ew York鈥檚 arts sector had a spectacular war. Local musicians, painters, playwrights, and dancers鈥攕purred by creative encounters with an 茅migr茅 population that included many of the greatest artists in the world鈥攑roduced work marked by tremendous vitality and revolutionary innovations. The city鈥檚 nightclubs, museums, galleries, and听theaters听were besieged鈥攁nd galvanized鈥攂y a newly flush wartime citizenry and a tidal flux of literally millions of American and Allied soldiers, fliers, sailors, and marines who passed through town, some for a last fling before heading off to combat, others back on R&R leave from the front.鈥�

Prague: The Heart of Europe by Cynthia Paces听

鈥淧rague has become one of the most visited cities in Europe, a magnet for tourists, students, and writers looking for inspiration. Travelers seek the magical city that inspired Mozart鈥檚 playful operas and fed Kafka鈥檚 haunted dreams. Intellectuals embrace the capital city where philosophers and playwrights ascended to鈥痶he presidency. Whereas poets and tourists search for the city鈥檚 transcendent qualities.鈥� OR 鈥淧rague is often called the heart of Europe. While not the precise geographical midpoint, the city has long served as a meeting place of cultures.鈥�

How to Think About AI: A Guide for the Perplexed by Richard Susskind听

鈥淣one of this book was written by AI (for better or worse).鈥� OR 鈥淚 now believe that balancing the benefits and threats of artificial intelligence鈥攕aving humanity with and from AI鈥攊s the defining challenge of our age.鈥�

On Strategists & Strategy by Lawrence Freedman听

鈥淚 have always been eclectic and enjoyed working across disciplines. I hope these pieces also show why I find stimulus and purpose in writing about these matters.听The study of war and strategy turned into an unexpected vocation and a constant and often enthralling challenge.鈥�

Breaking the Engagement: How China Won & Lost America by David Shambaugh听

鈥淣ot only did US government policy and strategy toward China change fundamentally during the Trump and Biden administrations鈥攂ut the underlying coalition of constituencies in American society had much to do with the听unraveling听of engagement.鈥�

Poetry of the Second World War by Tim Kendall听

鈥淭his anthology听comprises听a鈥痵election听of the best poetry of the Second World War, as written by poets from Britain and Ireland who lived through part or all of it. Their work encompasses the unfolding history of a鈥痓rutal war waged against civilians as well as military targets.鈥�

Athens Tales: Stories Selected and Translated by Joshua Barley

鈥淭he focus of these tales, therefore, is on the ordinary, small things that Athenians come to love鈥攖he cracked pavements, the glow of a semi-basement shop, the walk to the kiosk, the meeting of friends on nondescript street corners or in caf茅s whose names have been eroded by cigarette smoke鈥斺�榣ife鈥�, to quote Kostas听Peroulis鈥檚听narrator. These details form the image of the living city.鈥�

听Emile Zola: Writing Modern Life by Rachel Bowlby听

鈥淥nce, people did take Zola听seriously, and听seriously read his work; now, they don鈥檛, and so it is time to show why it is important to read him.鈥�

Discover our entire festive gift guide . Season’s Greetings from 糖心VLOG Press.

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The are making a meaningful change: drastically reducing plastic in our book covers to be more environmentally friendly.

For over four decades, the series has set the standard for trusted, accessible medical handbooks. Read, relied upon, and respected by students, resident doctors, consultants, GPs, nurses, dentists, and allied healthcare professionals alike, this market-leading series continues to evolve towards a more sustainable future for medical books.

The series began with the publication of the 听in 1985. Starting life as handwritten notes to help the authors get through their junior doctor years, it is now the world’s best-selling medical handbook.

Since then, the听Oxford Medical Handbook (OMH) has grown with almost 70 books now available in print and digital formats, covering medical specialties from paediatrics to geriatric medicine, and more. Titles fall into two broad categories: those for medical students and newly qualified doctors, and those for specialist trainees.

Reputation for quality

“The听Oxford Medical Handbooks‘ reputation is built on including only the best quality, clinically relevant information,” explains Elizabeth Reeve, Senior Acquisition Editor.

Elizabeth has worked on the series in various editorial roles for 20 years, first as a Development Editor, then Managing Editor, and later becoming the series Commissioning Editor.

“Professionals and students who fit the profile of the intended readers review each book, and the content is also checked by subject experts. In addition, we undertake extensive market research to make sure that the books feature the most applicable information about medical training and practice, and they are designed around what matters most to the reader. That means that every handbook in the series delivers exactly what users need. Where relevant, trainee doctor co-authors ensure the content is kept relevant to the core readership, reflecting the reality of day-to-day medical practice.”

Used in hospitals, clinics, general practice and dental surgeries, healthcare centres, and out in the community, and known throughout the world, the听Oxford Medical Handbooks听series continues to develop, expand, and provide a practical and trustworthy resource for medics, nurses, dentists, and allied healthcare professionals everywhere.

What’s next for the series

As we reflect on four decades of the series, we want to make sure it is sustainable for the future, whilst continuing to provide the expert content in the easily accessible and handy format which clinicians have come to rely on and trust.

We will be replacing the handbooks’ PVC plastic covers with a flexible coverboard, which will have an anti-scuff matt lamination and rounded corners to continue to protect the inside pages. The paper continues to be lightweight yet durable, and we’re pleased that this is now fully from certified sustainable sources.

Zo毛 Cokeliss Barsley

Director of Sustainability

“Reducing emissions from our print publications is crucial as we work towards achieving Net Zero by 2050. Reducing plastic from the iconic Oxford Medical Handbook series is a small step on this journey, but nonetheless an important one. The change will help preserve the longevity of these essential books without the lasting impact that PVC has on the environment.鈥�

In 2024, the total weight of printed units of the听Oxford Medical Handbooks听using the old PVC style was 842kg. By comparison, printing the same volume using the new PVC-free specification would result in just 30kg of lamination weight.

We serve the diverse and changing research and reference needs of our communities, and so as well as print, the听Oxford Medical Handbooks are available online, and in eBook format too, which has a lower environmental impact. Many handbooks have their own app versions via , and all are available for purchase by libraries and institutions via .

You can explore further information on the OMH series and our other medical content .

If you would like to get in touch, you can do so via .

If you would like to be one of our reviewers, please contact us here to register interest and find out more.

The post Celebrating 40 years of Oxford Medical Handbooks and improving sustainability for the future appeared first on 糖心VLOG Press.

Open access (OA) publishing forms a core part of our offering to authors and readers around the globe.听

From the publication of important medical research focused on improving patient care to unlocking opportunities for early career researchers to publish their debut books, we innovate in a variety of different ways, always in support of our mission to further the University of Oxford’s objective by publishing worldwide.

60% of our journals publishing is open access, with around 40,000 new journal articles available every year globally without barriers to access or re-use. In tandem, more than 450 OA books sit as part of our offering. Our open access articles are market-leading in policy and patent mention rate, demonstrating the quality, utility, and impact of our publishing, and the importance of enabling unrestricted access to research publishing.

This International Open Access Week, we have explored the 2025 theme of ‘Who owns our knowledge?’ alongside celebrating some milestone markers in our OA publishing programme.

Experimenting with books

We have been exploring OA models for books by launching and running pilots, and learning from these new approaches.

Rhodri Jackson, our Director of Open Access Publishing and Strategy, recently shared learnings and insights from our Commit to Open pilot and Subscribe to Open pilots, and how we will continue to innovate in support of our mission.

Read more from Rhodri .

Unlocking opportunity for early career researchers

This week, we announced the winners of the inaugural First Book Prize, another initiative we’re proud to launch in OA books.

Awarded to early career researchers in the humanities and social sciences, each of the ten winners will have their debut book published fully open access by OUP鈥攚ith all fees waived鈥攁longside hardback publication. The award champions the humanities and social sciences, supporting clearer pathways to publishing for the best scholars worldwide and providing the benefits of open access publication, enabling their research to reach new, global readers. We could not be more delighted at the breadth and depth in the work of our prize winners.

Submissions for the First Book Prize 2026 will open in January 2026. More information about each of this year’s winning books and the next prize can be found .

Working together with authors, research funders, scholarly societies, and academic institutions, we will continue to see our open access publishing grow, in terms of scale, breadth, and innovations. We look forward to seeing where we are in 2026.

The post Reflecting on key milestones in our open access publishing appeared first on 糖心VLOG Press.