Cambridge University Press
King Henry VIII granted letters patent to the University of Cambridge in 1534. This document established what is now known as Cambridge University Press. It stands today as the oldest university press in existence anywhere on Earth. The first actual printing house opened its doors much later, in 1584. Thomas Thomas served as the first practicing University Printer at that time. His initial publication was a book titled Two Treatises of the Lord His Holie Supper. John Legate printed the very first Cambridge Bible in 1591. Thomas and John Buck produced the folio edition of the King James Bible in 1629. A loan of £200 from the Duke of Somerset helped fund the printing house in July 1697. James Halman lent an additional £100 for the same purpose. The Pitt Building on Trumpington Street became their new home in 1833. Edward Blore designed this structure which later received listed status in 1950.
The press pioneered stereotype printing during the early 1800s. This innovation allowed successive printings from a single type setting. Steam-powered machine presses entered regular use by the 1850s. James Murray brought a proposal for the Oxford English Dictionary to Cambridge before he turned to Oxford instead. The Monotype system of hot-metal mechanized typesetting arrived in 1913. Stanley Morison served as typographical advisor from 1925 until 1954. He also advised The Times newspaper starting in 1929. Bruce Rogers worked as a printing expert at the press for two years beginning in 1917. David Kindersley designed Meliorissimo, a special typeface used for buildings and stationery. John Peters created Angelus, a four-point typeface specifically for Bible composition. The press sold its own printing operation to MPG Books Group in 2012. It now relies on third parties worldwide to provide physical print publications. Digital platforms like Cambridge Core replaced earlier online systems in 2016. The organization migrated its website onto Drupal technology in 2021.
Over 50,000 titles have been published by authors from more than 100 countries. The press maintains offices and publishing hubs in over 40 nations globally. More than 420 academic journals form part of their extensive portfolio. They publish monographs, reference works, school textbooks, and university textbooks. English language teaching and learning publications make up another major category. Over 170 Nobel Prize winners appear among their published authors. J.J. Thomson published Elements of the Mathematical Theory of Electricity and Magnetism in 1895. This marked the first title by a Nobel Laureate issued by the press. Ernest Hemingway received the Literature prize in 1954 after publication with them. Wole Soyinka won the Literature award in 1986 following his association with the press. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change received the Peace Prize in 2007 through their work. The press also publishes Bibles and holds the unique title of King's Printer. A bookshop at 1 Trinity Street has sold books since 1581. It expanded into 27 Market Hill in 2008 to offer specialist education materials.
The Press & Assessment Board governs operations under the direction of eighteen senior Syndics. Professor Stephen Toope served as Chair of the syndicate in 2021. Until August 2021, three distinct publishing groups operated independently. Academic Publishing handled research books and journals across science, technology, medicine, humanities, and social sciences. English Language Teaching provided courses for learners worldwide using integrated assessment tools. Education delivered products and software for primary, secondary, and international schools. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessment to form Cambridge University Press & Assessment in August 2021. Queen Elizabeth II approved this merger officially. The new organization launched on the 1st of August 2021. The academic and Bible publishing division retained its independent existence within the larger entity. Amira Bennison was elected chair of the academic committee in 2022. She replaced Kenneth Armstrong who previously held that position. The Press & Assessment Board now sets overarching strategic direction for all activities. Publishing Committees provide quality assurance and formal approval of strategies. Operational responsibility remains delegated to the Secretary of the Syndicate and Chief Executive.
In May 1940, Cambridge University Press applied for tax exemption from printing profits. The Inland Revenue refused this application in November 1940. They argued the press traded beyond the university's primary purposes. Geoffrey Cass wrote a sixty-page preliminary letter seeking exemption again in November 1975. His application was granted one year later though the decision remained private until public scrutiny emerged. Andrew Malcolm obtained scans of unsuccessful applications from the National Archives at Kew in 2007. These documents were withdrawn from public access in late 2020 until January 2029. A lawsuit involving Alms for Jihad led to book destruction in 2007. Saudi billionaire Khalid bin Mahfouz brought charges against the authors Burr and Collins. The press destroyed remaining copies as part of the settlement agreement. Libraries received letters asking them to remove circulating copies immediately. Frank R. Wolf called the action basically book burning in the New York Times Book Review. Cambridge Core temporarily deleted politically sensitive articles from The China Quarterly on the 18th of August 2017. An instruction from a Chinese import agency triggered this removal. Articles covered topics like the Tiananmen Square massacre and Hong Kong protests. International protests forced immediate reposting on the 21st of August 2017. D.K.K.Chow stated academic leadership had been absent during the initial decision.
Cambridge Open provides Gold and Green open access publishing options under its current framework. More than 50 percent of research articles appeared in open access mode by 2023. Read and Publish agreements exist with university libraries across multiple countries. A landmark agreement was signed with the University of California specifically. Plan S received a unified response from the press and university departments in 2019. This initiative calls for all publicly funded research to appear in compliant platforms from 2020 onward. Cambridge Core Share allows users to generate free links to selected journal articles. Perlego partnered with the press in 2020 to offer digital textbook access. CogBooks technology was acquired in 2021 to recommend course materials dynamically. SAP software adoption occurred in 2011 with support from Tech Mahindra, Cognizant, and Wipro. The organization joined the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association as a member. They also became part of the International Association of STM Publishers. Cambridge Prisms represents a new set of open access journals relevant to Sustainable Development Goals. These include Coastal Futures, Precision Medicine, Global Mental Health, Extinction, Plastics, Water, and Drylands. The World Wildlife Fund awarded their highest score to Three Trees based on timber purchasing policies.
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Common questions
When was Cambridge University Press established by King Henry VIII?
King Henry VIII granted letters patent to the University of Cambridge in 1534. This document legally established what is now known as Cambridge University Press.
Who served as the first practicing University Printer for Cambridge University Press?
Thomas Thomas served as the first practicing University Printer when the printing house opened its doors in 1584. His initial publication was a book titled Two Treatises of the Lord His Holie Supper.
What major merger did Cambridge University Press complete in August 2021?
Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessment to form Cambridge University Press & Assessment on the 1st of August 2021. Queen Elizabeth II officially approved this merger which combined three distinct publishing groups into one organization.
Why did Cambridge University Press destroy copies of books in 2007?
The press destroyed remaining copies of books following a lawsuit involving Alms for Jihad brought by Saudi billionaire Khalid bin Mahfouz against authors Burr and Collins. The destruction occurred as part of the settlement agreement reached that year.
How many Nobel Prize winners have published works through Cambridge University Press?
Over 170 Nobel Prize winners appear among their published authors including J.J. Thomson who issued the first title by a Nobel Laureate in 1895. Ernest Hemingway won the Literature prize in 1954 after publication with them while Wole Soyinka won the Literature award in 1986.