In the near future, the University Press may increase the number of publications and increase current staff size, said recently appointed Director Sanford Thatcher.

Thatcher said he wants to increase the number of annual publications to 50 books by expanding into topics of history, geography, social sciences and philosophy.

With the increase in publications, the staff will also grow with a new acquiring editor and two marketing positions, he added.

"It's a quality press and has put out more books per year than most commercial presses," said Thomas Smyth, entomology professor and a member of the Press's editorial committee.

Established in 1956, the Press -- a non-profit organization funded by the University -- has an annual budget close to $1 million, Thatcher said.

The Press employs 12 staff members and requires approval of all material by an editorial committee of 12 faculty members, he said. Writers are recruited for possible publication with advertisements in scholarly journals and libraries, Thatcher said, adding that the Press does not print its own materials but sends bids to printers across the country.

Books published by the Press are distributed throughout University book stores, along with stores that exclusively carry publications from university presses in Berkley and New York City, Thatcher said.

The Press was a small enterprise until former director, Chris Kentera, took over as director in 1973, he said. Under Kentera's supervision, six books and 80 titles - half of which were imported - were published, he said.

Currently, the Press publishes 30 to 40 titles and seven journals per year, he said.

The Press focuses on three main areas - art and art history, literature, which encompasses writings from throughout the world, and religious studies - which comprise 80 percent of the its publications, Thatcher said.

The Press also publishes material on the Pennsylvania region, said Charles Mann, English professor and editorial committee member. Many titles have been published on Pennsylvania history, natural resources, and even Three Mile Island, he said.

Many undergraduate students have never heard of the Press because of the nature of the works published, Thatcher said.

"The works were written by scholars for scholars. They don't have a large audience and most will be read by scholars or graduate students," he said.

But the Press has gained national attention, especially through such recognized books as The Art of American Car Design, he added.

One University professor, C. Edson Armi, wrote a book titled Masons and Sculptors in Romanesque Burgundy, which received the of 1983 International Award and presented by the Confederation Internationale des Negociants en Oeuvres d'Art.

Paradox, Dialectic, and System, written by Howard Kainz, was reviewed in the journal A Chocie Outstanding Academic Book for 1988-1989.