On 12 March, the Council of the Medieval Academy of America approved a 5-year-contract with the University of Chicago Press to serve as publisher of Speculum from 2016 – 2020 (Volumes 91 – 95). This decision was made after much due diligence on the part of Editor Sarah Spence, the Speculum Board, and an ad hoc committee. In making their recommendation, Spence and the Committee cited Chicago’s willingness to allow authors to publish final, copyedited versions of Speculum articles on personal and departmental websites, as well as their development of a robust and responsive interface that will offer improved support for authors and editorial staff. In addition, Chicago offers color cover and color images online, as well as eight color images per print volume at no additional expense to MAA. Spence also noted that Chicago’s tiered pricing matches the cost of Speculum to institutional budgets, making the journal more affordable for smaller institutions. In recommending the University of Chicago Press to the Council, the ad hoc committee concluded: “Chicago has throughout its institutional history had a deep commitment to international scholarship. As such, it seems a fitting symbol for the place of medieval studies in American scholarship: centrally-located in the country while clearly marking its roots in the European tradition. The press’s interest in publishing Speculum speaks to this interest in reaching as broad an intellectual community as possible, both within the United States and around the world.”
We will immediately begin working with UCP and our current publisher, Cambridge University Press, to ensure a seamless transition, and members and authors can rest assured that subscriptions, digital access, and authors’ services will be uninterrupted. Our commitment to the highest levels of scholarship in the pages of Speculum remains unchanged, and we look forward to working with the University of Chicago Press.
