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�

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�

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�

Acquisitions Editor

鈥�Oxford Intersections, an interdisciplinary resource aimed at addressing key global challenges, is proud to present several upcoming climate-focused topics including听,听,听, and听.

鈥淭丑别蝉别 Intersections will publish timely and critical research from across humanities and social sciences disciplines to explore complex global issues, including how humanity and nature adapt and respond to climate change and other societally induced environmental challenges.

鈥滱n interdisciplinary approach to commissioning allows Oxford Intersections to explore concerns from a litany of perspectives, both throughout history and with a forward focus, such as in the sections 鈥淣ew Frontiers鈥� (Environmental Change and Human Experience), 鈥淲aste Futures鈥� (Cultures of Waste), and 鈥淣arratives of the Future鈥� (Climate Adaptation). These topics will provide an important outlet for researchers and practitioner experts to share their scholarship in concert, creating a kaleidoscopic resource of interlinked material that will be of interest to a variety of audiences.鈥�

Portfolio Product Manager听and听Managing Editor

鈥淭丑别 central message of听 is that the young learners of today are the changemakers of tomorrow.

鈥淏y employing a concept-based inquiry methodology in conjunction with English language learning methodologies, we aim to develop students鈥� metacognitive skills to better understand the world around them. When students can see how conceptual ideas are transferable across different situations, they are better equipped to think critically and approach the challenges we all face in the context of how to deal with a rapidly changing climate.

鈥漇tudents using听Blue Dot will explore a rich variety of content that is aligned to concepts such as sustainability, energy, and cooperation. Through this, they will discuss and debate the challenges and potential solutions to some of our biggest environmental issues both today and in the future. We hope students using Blue Dot feel as inspired using it as we felt making it.鈥�

What were the biggest considerations in balancing pedagogical integrity with flexibility?

We worked extensively to ensure that Song Pals aligns with local educational legislation while still providing the flexibility that teachers need. The听Song Pals stories strand (available with Super Fun Books) have themes relating to social and emotional development through the听Song Pals characters, which is an important area within the Spanish curriculum. We also ensured that each topic includes a wide range of graded resources in multiple formats, with clearly mapped targets and extension language. Many of these materials are even customizable. The goal was to give teachers everything they need in one place, so they don’t have to search for additional resources or spend extra time adapting materials.

We also provide learning situations, assessment material, and a Teacher’s Toolkit with teaching notes and a guide to make the most of the materials.

What was the rationale behind developing three different product formats?

The Pre-Primary market varies in terms of timetables across regions and school types, from one session a week to five, and in methodology, with some teachers requiring more extensive print formats for students and others requiring less so that they can also use their own resources in class. We also detected a need for a resource bank, leading to the creation of the Simple and Super Fun Books and the website-only option.

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.

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.”

Joyson Kolenchery, Head of Manufacturing, OUP India

鈥淚n collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, the manufacturing team plays a key role in the publishing process. Through thoughtful paper selection, and high-quality printing and binding, we ensure a book鈥檚 uniqueness and value are upheld. While manufacturing a book, it is most critical to recognize that cost, quality, and speed are the key parameters that determine its affordability and sustainability. Keeping the end customer in mind throughout the publishing journey is vital.

I’m deeply mindful of the fact that any type of manufacturing has an environmental impact. Therefore, when partnering with external suppliers and selecting raw materials such as paper, it is important to ensure they carry the required certifications for their intended use. Encouraging suppliers to adopt renewable energy and eliminate plastics from the manufacturing value chain can significantly reduce the overall carbon footprint.

A well-produced book brings immense satisfaction to everyone involved in its creation. The arrival of a book from printer is a moment of joy and celebration for those who contributed to its journey.鈥�

Gemma Wakefield, Senior Cover Designer

“As a cover designer for Academic books, my role is to creatively interpret a brief to create a cover that reflects the heart of the content and appeals to the target market. I explore creative solutions from selections of carefully curated images, and combine this with typography that will perfectly fit and enhance the aesthetic of the book. I aim to create an identity in my cover design which I can then apply across marketing materials to build a unique and strong product brand.”

Right: Penning Poison by Emily Cockayne – one of Gemma’s cover designs

Emma Gier, Director of Translations and Reprints

鈥淚 head up the Translations team which licenses Academic book content to reach readers throughout the world in their own language. Working with international publishers鈥攆rom large trade houses to niche publishers, and everything in between鈥攚e are corresponding daily with publishing professionals, translators, and agents across the globe. We celebrate our deals and enjoy sharing the news with authors and editors. Our job is to take all the hard work that has gone in to creating a book for sale in the English language and to find licensees to bring the book to life for their local readers. The cherry on the top!鈥�

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.”

Through her engaging events, imaginative stories, and multimedia projects, Harriet continues to support and inspire young readers and writers at a time when the importance of literacy and storytelling has never been clearer. revealed that two in five (38.7%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 said they enjoyed writing in school either very much or quite a lot, and it is clear that there are barriers to having a positive experience of writing in the classroom.

Harriet’s work plays a vital role in reversing this trend by encouraging reading for pleasure and nurturing a lifelong love of learning through accessible, joyful storytelling.听The Telegraph recently dubbed her the “fairy godmother of newly independent readers” in their review of the new series.

Sharing our expertise and insights听

Experts from our Academic division were invited to take part in key panel discussions on day two of the Book Fair.听

John Campbell, Product Strategy Director, took part in a panel discussion on 鈥楴avigating the Future of Publishing: Strategies for Community, Technology, and Compliance鈥�. In his presentation, John shared how core principles鈥攕uch as our strong portfolio and leading authors, trust and quality, and a focus on impact and value鈥攁re and will continue to be at the heart of what we do.

Julia McDonnell, Director of Journals Product, joined a panel on research integrity, exploring the current challenges that academic and professional publishers face, and the best measures we can take to solving them.听