University of Massachusetts Press
| Company type | University press |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Headquarters | Amherst , United States |
| Parent | University of Massachusetts Amherst |
The University of Massachusetts Press operates as the official publishing arm of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Established in 1963, it focuses on producing academic and non-fiction works. Oversight of the press’s imprint is provided by a committee composed of faculty members from various disciplines. The press holds membership in the Association of University Presses.
Juniper Prizes
Each year, the press awards the Juniper Prizes, which honor fiction and poetry and are named after the regional poet Robert Francis and his residence, 'Fort Juniper'. The categories for these awards are:
- Two poetry distinctions: one designated for poets with prior publications and another for emerging poets
- Two fiction recognitions: one for a novel and another for a collection of short stories
- An award dedicated to creative non-fiction
The poetry prize was inaugurated in 1975, followed by the fiction prizes in 2004, and the creative non-fiction award was introduced in 2018.
Controversies
The University of Massachusetts Press took part in The Association of American Publishers’ lawsuit against the Internet Archive in the case known as Hachette v. Internet Archive, which resulted in restricting access to more than 500,000 books worldwide.