Alan Harvey to direct Stanford University Press

Alan Harvey is an expert in evolving digital and print-on-demand delivery of books. He will lead Stanford University Press through a period of industry-wide upheaval when he takes the reins July 1.

Alan Harvey has helped make Stanford University Press one of the most innovative in academic publishing. Now he’s stepping into the shoes of Geoffrey Burn to head the enterprise.

Harvey, the press’ deputy director and editor-in-chief, has been named as the new director, effective July 1. To smooth the transition, Burn will support Harvey as deputy editor for the next 12 months. He will also continue as acquisitions editor for the Stanford Security Studies series of publications, which he founded and plans to expand.

Harvey, who arrived at the press in 2002, has worked closely with Burn to implement structural changes that have put the Stanford Press at the leading edge of publishing in the small, beleaguered world of academic presses.

Harvey noted that in the last decade, the press’ revenue has grown by over 27 percent at a time when growth in the academic press marketplace has been minimal.

“We’re producing more books and are generating more revenue, with fewer staff,” said Harvey. The press has opened its lists to the social sciences, business and law, publishing research-driven books for the professions and for students, in addition to its traditional markets in academia.

At the same time, he said, “We are able to publish more humanities books now than we did ten years ago – and the list grows every year. But we’ve realigned it as a proportion of what we do.”

Harvey credits Burn for the vision that transformed the press: “The concept of redefining the press’ subject coverage – really the core of what we do – is entirely Geoffrey’s. He was also able to implement sound business practices that have ensured our growth has been sustainable.”

“We’ve been working in lockstep for the last ten years,” said Harvey, and added that he expects the transition will be a smooth one in a turbulent time, as the publishing world continues to adapt to changes that have been under way for the past five years.

Michael Keller, the publisher of the press and the head of Stanford’s library system, praised Burn’s legacy at the press, which publishes about 165 titles a year. “Geoffrey Burn’s stewardship of the press has clarified and dramatically improved the focus and especially the quality of its publishing programs," said Keller. "His attention to the business arrangements in all aspects of the press has proven to be salutary. And, most importantly, he has recruited excellent editors – most prominently among them, Alan Harvey."

Harvey came to the press after 14 years at Cambridge University Press, for which he founded and managed the West Coast office. He was also responsible for the editorial management of its North American science program.

Harvey has a deep understanding of evolving digital and print-on-demand delivery. This, coupled with a solid appreciation of the revolution currently under way in research methods and multi-media learning, gives him a thorough grounding in the new information ecology.