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Our Activities The Editorial Committee, the Sales and Marketing Committee, the E-Publishing Committee, the International Affairs Committee, and the Secretariat meet regularly to plan and administer short-term and long-term activities. The Editorial Committee distributes the quarterly Daigaku Shuppan (University Presses); provides editors with training for editorial skills and offers them occasions for information exchange; publishes research funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the Nihon Seimei Foundation, and the Suenobu Foundation; and investigates how publication is financially supported by public and academic institutions. The committee has initiated a study with bookstores to develop varied methods for selling academic books and is making policies and rules for fund raising for scholarly publications. The Sales and Marketing Committee is responsible for promotion of the books published by member university presses. It also provides consultation and recent books for libraries, participates in international as well as domestic book fairs, and publishes monthly news on recent books and an annual catalogue for libraries and general readers. The E-Publishing Committee is in charge of running the AJUP website (http://www.ajup-net.com/), building an e-version of University Presses and Recent Books, and producing "Book Lounge" (http://www.iiv.ne.jp/booklounge/), an internet TV program to introduce books by member university presses. In response to the changes in scholarly communication brought about by electronic academic information, the committee has begun to research possible future production of academic e-books and teaching materials for e-learning. The major role of the International Affairs Committee is to plan and conduct an annual seminar for Japan-Korea-China University Presses; already 10 such seminars have been held. It also works for broader exchanges among university presses in Asia. In cooperation with the Publishers Association for Cultural Exchange, the committee provides presenters for various international book fairs. Presently the committee is considering online sale of foreign books. As the driving force behind all AJUP activities, the Secretariat takes care of business development, general affairs for the Board of Directors, plenary sessions and other meetings, budget and accounting, and publicity. In addition to internal affairs, it assists those planning to establish university presses. Finally, the Secretariat fills the essential function of developing visions for the future of AJUP. |