A N N UA L FY2016 REPORT
www.uapress.alaska.edu
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Front and back cover image taken from Little Whale: A Story of the Last Tlingit War Canoe.
University of Alaska Press PO Box 756240 Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240 907.474.5831 www.uapress.alaska.edu
Message from the Manager
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Books Published in FY2016
4
Notable Reviews, Mentions, Awards
6
Social Media and Partners
8
Exhibits and Events
9
Sales and Financial Summary
10
Series Editors, Advisory Board, Staff
11
FROM THE
MANAGER
Photo by JR Ancheta, UAF
I’m pleased to present to you the University of Alaska Press FY16 annual report. We were able to publish 15 outstanding titles over the past two seasons—everything from our bestselling science title Coloring the Universe to Made of Salmon to the hit novel Geography of Water. We were also able to complete and release Alaska Politics and Public Policy by Clive Thomas, which has been many years in the making.
We received more national and international media coverage and reviews for our trade books than ever before— with coverage ranging from Forbes magazine to The Atlantic; South China Morning Post to the Chicago Tribune; BBC Sky at Night to Wired magazine and more. We also continued to receive critical recognition for our scholarly and academic titles. Choice magazine recommended Fierce Climate, Sacred Ground for all levels of education and libraries, and Arctic journal called it “a concise, powerful, and illuminating description of Shishmaref’s experience as a community, as a media magnet, as the object of extensive planning and discussion, and as an exemplar of climate change.”
Net sales for the year remained steady and slightly above FY15. Ebook sales are still going strong with nearly 1,100 electronic copies sold last year. We continue to partner and collaborate with many different departments within the university and agencies across the state. And most importantly, our books keep getting adopted for courses, receive high praise and awards, are used in academic research, reach children K-12, and are enjoyed by general readers everywhere.
It would be difficult to sum up the past year without mentioning the uncertainty surrounding the state and university’s budget. We want to thank the university administration and our advisory board, series editors, authors, partners, friends, and readers for the support we received. We are genuinely grateful. Because of this, the Press will proudly celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2017.
I hope you continue reading and enjoy the rest of the report, which highlights our activities and achievements over the past year. The devotion, hard work, and talent of the Press staff shines throughout. And as we look to the near future, there are seven new books on the horizon for fall. We hope you get a chance to read some of them.
Sincerely,
Amy Simpson
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BOOKS
PUBLISHED IN FY2016
University of Alaska Press Scholarly and Trade Academic Books Coloring the Universe An Insider’s Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space
Anguyiim Nalliini/Time of Warring The History of Bow-and-Arrow Warfare in Southwest Alaska
TRAVIS A. RECTOR, KIMBERLY ARCAND, AND MEGAN WATZKE
EDITED BY ANN FIENUP-RIORDAN TRANSLATED BY ALICE REARDEN
Married to the Empire Three Governors’ Wives in Russian America, 1829–1864
More Than God Demands Politics and Influence of Christian Missions in Northwest Alaska, 1897–1918
SUSANNA RABOW-EDLING
ANTHONY URVINA WITH SALLY URVINA
Fierce Climate, Sacred Ground An Ethnography of Climate Change in Shishmaref, Alaska ELIZABETH MARINO
Permafrost Book Prize
Selected by UAF English Department Published by UA Press Scavengers Stories Alaska Politics and Public Policy The Dynamics of Beliefs, Institutions, Personalities, and Power EDITED BY CLIVE S. THOMAS WITH LAURA C. SAVATGY AND KRISTINA KLIMOVICH
Connecting Alaskans Telecommunications in Alaska from Telegraph to Broadband HEATHER E. HUDSON
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BECKY HAGENSTON
Snowy Owl Trade Imprint of the University of Alaska Press Stubborn Gal The True Story of an Undefeated Sled Dog Racer
Wealth Woman Kate Carmack and the Klondike Race for Gold
DAN O’NEILL ILLUSTRATED BY KLARA MAISCH
DEB VANASSE
Outside in the Interior, Second Edition An Adventure Guide for Central Alaska
Our Perfect Wild Ray and Barbara Bane’s Journeys and the Fate of the Far North
KYLE JOLY
KAYLENE JOHNSON-SULLIVAN WITH RAY BANE
Made of Salmon Alaska Stories from the Salmon Project EDITED BY NANCY LORD
Alaska Literary Series
Poetry, Fiction, and Literary Nonfiction Peggy Shumaker, Series Editor The Geography of Water MARY EMERICK
Cabin, Clearing, Forest ZACH FALCON
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NOTABLE REVIEWS,
MENTIONS, AND AWARDS
“What singles this book [Coloring the Universe] out is how it lifts the curtain on the processes by which these spectacular images are made. There are explanations of the astrophysics of celestial objects, how telescopes and cameras capture and record light, as well as the software techniques used to create these striking images. . . . After reading it you’ll probably never look at an astronomy image in quite the same way again.” —BBC Sky at Night Magazine
“The Iñupiaq to English Dictionary provides a comprehensive and detailed overview of the grammar, lexicon, and history of the language, while simultaneously providing a great deal of insight into Iñupiaq culture and traditional knowledge. . . . Edna Ahgeak MacLean has accomplished an impressive work of language documentation and it should serve as a precious tool for language conservation and revitalization efforts in the years to come.” —Anthropological Linguistics
“Interspersed with photos and essays from local elders, teachers, and researchers at the site, Kal’unek From Karluk allows readers to consider the project from multiple viewpoints and adds a personal warmth. . . . Those who love archeology, history, and Native culture will find this book to be a rare and worthy discovery.” —Alaska magazine
“Scavengers features twelve of the freshest, most inspiring pieces of short fiction I have read in years...These pieces are funny and devastating, often tinged with what some call ‘magical realism,’ and yes, profoundly and beautifully strange. . . . Scavengers is short fiction done right.” —The Clarion-Ledger
Alaska Dispatch News named five UA Press books “Favorites of 2015” Picture Man: The Legacy of Southeast Alaska photographer Shoki Kayamori
The Creatures at the Absolute Bottom of the Sea I Follow in the Dust She Raises Overwinter Stubborn Gal: The True Story of an Undefeated Sled Dog Race
Forbes Magazine
Coloring the Universe: An Insider’s Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Coloring the Universe: An Insider’s Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space
South China Morning Post
Coloring the Universe: An Insider’s Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space
The Atlantic
Fierce Climate, Sacred Ground: An Ethnography of Climate Change in Shishmaref, Alaska
Chicago Tribune
Coloring the Universe: An Insider’s Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space
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National Optical Astronomy Observatory News
Coloring the Universe: An Insider’s Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space
Choice Magazine
Exploring and Mapping Alaska: The Russian American Era, 1741–1867
Fierce Climate, Sacred Ground: An Ethnography of Climate Change in Shishmaref, Alaska Kal’unek From Karluk: Kodiak Alutiiq History and the Archaeology of the Karluk One Village Site
Kirkus
Little Whale: A Story of the Last Tlingit War Canoe
Alaska Magazine
Kal’unek From Karluk: Kodiak Alutiiq History and the Archaeology of the Karluk One Village Site
The Geography of Water Wealth Woman: Kate Carmack and the Klondike Race for Gold
Wired Magazine
Coloring the Universe: An Insider’s Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space
Sky & Telescope
Coloring the Universe: An Insider’s Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space
Western Historical Quarterly
A Dangerous Idea: The Alaska Native Brotherhood and the Struggle for Indigenous Rights
Arizona Daily Star
Coloring the Universe: An Insider’s Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
The Creatures at the Absolute Bottom of the Sea Cabin, Clearing Forest
Alaska Dispatch News
Coloring the Universe: An Insider’s Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space
The Creatures at the Absolute Bottom of the Sea The Geography of Water Cabin, Clearing, Forest Life and Times of a Big River: An Uncommon Natural History of Alaska’s Upper Yukon
Bellingham Herald
Stubborn Gal: The True Story of an Undefeated Sled Dog Racer
Poetry Northwest Sailing by Ravens
Alaska History
Kiska: The Japanese Occupation of an Alaska Island
Harnessed to the Pole: Sledge Dogs in Service to American Explorers of the Arctic, 1853-1909 Steaming to the North: The First Summer Cruise of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Bear, Alaska and Siberia, 1886 Seventeen Years in Alaska: A Depiction of Life Among the Indians of Yakutat
The Polar Times
Harnessed to the Pole: Sledge Dogs in Service to American Explorers of the Arctic, 1853-1909
Kiska: The Japanese Occupation of an Alaska Island
Ecolit Books
Among Wolves
Southern Humanities Review Overwinter
Alaska Public Media
Kal’unek From Karluk: Kodiak Alutiiq History and the Archaeology of the Karluk One Village Site
Anthropological Linguistics Iñupiatun Uqaluit Taniktun Sivuniŋit/Iñupiaq to English Dictionary
International Journal Of Maritime History
Steaming to the North: The First Summer Cruise of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Bear, Alaska and Siberia, 1886
Arctic, Antarctic And Alpine Research
Yupik Transitions: Change and Survival at Bering Strait, 1900–1960
Arctic
Fierce Climate, Sacred Ground: An Ethnography of Climate Change in Shishmaref, Alaska
Kal’unek From Karluk: Kodiak Alutiiq History and the Archaeology of the Karluk One Village Site
Newscenter 11
Our Perfect Wild: Ray and Barbara Bane’s Journeys and the Fate of the Far North
Juneau Empire
Star Tribune
Kitsap Sun
Zone 3
New Pages.com
National Fisherman
Cabin, Clearing, Forest Stubborn Gal: The True Story of an Undefeated Sled Dog Racer Overwinter
Scavengers Plash and Levitation Made of Salmon: Alaska Stories from the Salmon Project 7
The Clarion-Ledger
Contributions To Literacy In Alaska Award
Journal of Historical Geography
Barbara S. Smith Pathfinder Award
Scavengers
Exploring and Mapping Alaska: The Russian American Era, 1741–1867
Edna MacLean for the Iñupiaq to English Dictionary Mary Ehrlander for Seventeen Years in Alaska: A Depiction of Life Among the Indians of Yakutat
SOCIAL
MEDIA The UAP Facebook page is over the 760-fan mark with more than 154 posts this year. Our most popular post was an Alaska Dispatch News story titled “McGuire joins Alaska authors forging Alaska’s new compelling literary tradition” with 749 people reached. In FY16, our Twitter feed reached 550 followers, up from 260 last year. Our e-Marketing strategy focuses on integrating our social media efforts to promote new releases, sales promotions, and events.
PRESS + PARTNERSHIPS
= COLLABORATION ON BOOKS UA Press continues to collaborate with partners and agencies across the state and within the UA System. There are numerous recent and forthcoming collaborative projects in the works. Rasmuson Foundation
Creative Alaska: A Ten-Year Retrospective of Support for Alaska Artists, 2004–2013
Calista Education and Culture, Inc. Anguyiim Nalliini/Time of Warring: The History of Bow-andArrow Warfare in Southwest Alaska
Ciulirnerunak Yuuyaqunak/Do Not Live Without an Elder: The Subsistence Way of Life in Southwest Alaska
University of Alaska Anchorage/National Science Foundation Coloring the Universe: An Insider’s Look at Making Spectacular Images of Space
UA Foundation Alaska Politics and Public Policy: The Dynamics of Beliefs, Institutions, Personalities, and Power
Cornerstone on College Hill, 2nd edition 8
UAF Department of English | Permafrost Book Prize Scavengers UAF Alaska Native Language Center Shem Pete’s Alaska: The Territory of the Upper Cook Inlet Dena’ina, revised 2nd edition
Alaska Literary Series Partners The Geography of Water Cabin, Clearing, Forest
EXHIBITS AND
EVENTS
The University of Chicago Press exhibited our Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 books at 17 notable conferences around the country. International Communication Association
Society for the Study of Evolution
National Communication Association
American Political Science Association
Association of Writers and Writing Programs
National Women’s Studies Association
Printers Row Book Fair Ecological Society of America
UA Press staff also attended several conferences and events throughout Alaska and the Lower 48.
Native American and Indigenous Studies Assoc.
Alaska Library Association Conference
Society for Conservation Biology
Arctic Science Summit Week
American Historical Association Organization of American Historians
Museums Alaska/Alaska Historical Society Conference
American Assoc. for the Advancement of Science
UAF Discover Alaska Lecture Series
American Astronomical Society
Tanana Valley State Fair
National Association of Native American Studies
Fairbanks Holiday Market Place
Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology
Annual Holiday Open House
American Anthropological Association
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SALES AND
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Net Income FY2010–2016 Gross units Returns Net units
FY10-Total FY11-Total
FY12-Total FY13-Total
FY14-Total
FY15-Total FY16-Total
28,234 (3,999) 24,235
31,466 (2,362) 29,104
28,585 (3,030) 25,525
33,266 (4,161) 29,105
32,060 (3,433) 28,627
32,320 (4,328) 27,992
28,246 (4,420) 23,826
426,116 (34,293) 391,823 8.0 44.9
379,607 (40,310) 339,297 10.6 43.2
457,860 (58,704) 399,155 12.5 43.9
435,317 (52,328) 382,988 10.7 48.2
392,584 (61,240) 331,343 15.60 45.8
412,124 (71,156) 340,968 17.27 45.6
387,699 Returns ($) (54,775) Net sales ($) 332,924 % returns 14.1 Net avg. discount 44.0 Gross ($)
NET SALES $ Fiscal Year Net Sales $ FY09 371,268 FY10 332,924 450,000 FY11 391,823 FY12 339,297 FY13 399,155 391,823 400,000 FY14 382,988 371,268 FY15 331,343 FY16 340,968 350,000 332,924
NET UNITS
Net Sales $ 399,155
382,988
339,297
331,343
340,968
Fiscal Year Net Units FY09 29,165 FY10 24,235 FY11 29,104 35,000 FY12 25,525 FY13 29,105 29,165 FY14 28,627 29,104 30,000 FY15 27,992 FY16 23,826 24,235
25,000
300,000
Net Units
29,105
28,627
27,992
25,525
23,826
20,000
250,000 200,000
15,000
150,000
10,000 100,000
5,000
50,000 0
10
0 FY09
FY10
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY14
FY15
FY16
FY09
FY10
FY11
FY12
FY13
FY14
FY15
FY16
SERIES EDITORS, ADVISORY BOARD,
AND OUR STAFF
UA Press Series Editors Peggy Shumaker, Alaska Literary Series Terrence Cole, Classic Reprint Series William Schneider, Oral Biography Series Marvin Falk, Rasmuson Library Historical Translation Series Past and present Advisory Board members: Nancy Lord, Emily Wall, Eric Heyne, Karen Perdue, Frank Soos, John Straley, Maria Williams, and Kevin Walker
Advisory Board
Staff
Emily Wall, CHAIR Juneau
Amy Simpson Manager
Eric Heyne Fairbanks
Krista West Production Editor
Nancy Lord Homer
Laura Walker Sales and Marketing Coordinator
Frank Soos Fairbanks
Dawn Montano Publicity Coordinator
John Straley Sitka
Kevin Winker Fairbanks
Photo by JR Ancheta, UAF
Maria Williams Anchorage
Staff: Krista West, Laura Walker, Dawn Montano, and Amy Simpson
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MISSION STATEMENT The University of Alaska Press is the premier publisher of scholarly and other high quality works on the history, cultures, peoples, and natural environments of Alaska, the circumpolar North, and Pacific Rim. The Press also publishes exceptional titles of broader interest. Through its publications, UA Press serves the scholarly community, K-12 educators, and the general public.
HISTORY Launched in 1967, the University of Alaska Press is a nonprofit scholarly publisher and distributor of books about Alaska and the circumpolar regions. Although physically located at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, the Press represents the entire University of Alaska System–—its three main universities (UAA, UAF, and UAS) as well as their satellite campuses—and by extension the entire state of Alaska. UA Press publications cover an expanding range of subject areas, including politics and history, Native languages and cultures, science and natural history, biography and memoir, poetry, fiction and anthologies, and original translations. The Press publishes books in print and electronically for both the scholarly community and the general public. UA Press also serves as a distributor for many entities within the University of Alaska System and various independent publishers. UA Press books reach a global audience through sales and distribution provided by the University of Chicago Press. The Press has an independent advisory board of scholars and writers with a diverse range of expertise. The board is responsible for final review and selection of titles published by the Press. UA Press is a member of the American Association of University Presses.