The Oregon State University Sesquicentennial Oral History Project

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An Oral History of the OSU Press

An interview with Jo Alexander and Jeff Grass conducted by Chris Petersen.

March 26, 2014

Abstract

“Long May It Thrive: An Inside Look at the OSU Press”  March 26, 2014  Location: Valley Library, Oregon State University.  Watch Video | Download Transcript (PDF)

In the interview, Alexander and Grass discuss their arrivals at OSU and the state of the Press at those times. They also reflect upon the evolution of work at the Press, in particular the importance of computers to modernizing their processes, as well as changes in the mission of the Press. Grass recounts the administrative vision and strategies that he set into motion upon becoming Director of the OSU Press in 1984 and the tactical decision to greatly accelerate the growth of the Press as a survival strategy in the early 1990s. Alexander and Grass likewise share their memories of noteworthy colleagues, books and authors; their recollections of working in Waldo Hall; and their perspective on the establishment of the Press in the OSU Libraries in 2007.