Press Information

New Partners for Oxford University's Legenda Imprint

Leeds, UK, 20 October 2004:

Legenda, founded by the European Humanities Research Centre of the University of Oxford, now becomes an imprint of the Modern Humanities Research Association, in partnership with the leading publisher of academic books and journals Maney Publishing.

The imprint was founded in 1995 by a group of scholars concerned about increasing difficulty of access to publication in the Humanities. Under the guidance of Malcolm Bowie this new press underwent rapid growth. By 2000 its publications were routinely being reviewed internationally, while here in the UK they played a significant part in the last Research Assessment Exercise. Today Legenda is passing its hundredth book title: around one-third of all working modern linguists in the UK have already published books, chapters or articles with the list. Titles range from medieval texts to contemporary cinema and form a widely comparative view of the modern humanities. Recent successes include Clive Scott's "Channel Crossings: French and English Poetry in Dialogue 1550-2000", which was awarded the 2004 Gapper Prize as the best contribution to French studies of its year, and Kathryn Laing's edition of "The Sentinel", a lost early novel by Rebecca West, which made front page news around the world.

In becoming a national asset, the imprint has clearly outgrown its original base in a research unit attached to a single institution. Over the last six months the University of Oxford has therefore considered bids from national bodies who could more appropriately sponsor Legenda, and these negotiations were successfully concluded a few days ago.

"The MHRA is delighted to be taking responsibility for the publication of the Legenda imprint whose distinguished academic reputation goes before it. We are confident that in its new home this prestigious monograph series will continue to flourish and will enhance our existing portfolio of outstanding journals and bibliographies in the field of English and the modern languages," commented Professor Malcolm Cook, Chairman of the Modern Humanities Research Association and Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques.

Maney Publishing is one of the few remaining independent publishers of quality. Founded in 1900, the company has offices both in the UK, in Leeds and London, and in north America, in Boston. Since 1945 Maney Publishing has worked closely with learned societies, their editors, authors, and members, in publishing academic books and journals to the highest traditional standards of materials and production. Michael Gallico, Managing Director, comments: "Since 1963 Maney and the MHRA have worked successfully in partnership and we welcome this opportunity to broaden that relationship and develop new contacts through the Legenda programme. Legenda enjoys an outstanding reputation and Maney Publishing is proud to be associated with that."

This new basis for Legenda continues a collaboration of many years' standing. Legenda has co-published some twelve books with the MHRA since 1995 and members of the Editorial Board have also served as editors of distinguished journals published both by the Association, such as the Modern Language Review, and also by Maney, such as Central Europe and Italian Studies. This collaboration will continue, and Oxford will retain a role in the editing of the imprint, which will continue to be based in offices at the University.

Martin McLaughlin, Fiat-Serena Professor of Italian in the University of Oxford and Chairman of the Legenda Editorial Board, writes: "Legenda has since its inception created a unique identity and reputation for itself, living up to its name and producing quality books that are indeed required reading.  Having completed its initial phase, it is now moving to an exciting second period in which it becomes a national asset, with an even higher profile.  Legenda has found an ideal partner in the MHRA and Maney who have over recent years represented perhaps the most powerful synergy for humanities publishing on a national scale in the UK."

The EHRC's journal, Oxford German Studies, also passes to MHRA and Maney, and once again there will be continuity of editing. Plans are already advanced for a relaunch in 2005 which will see its largest expansion in the journal's 40-year history.

Legenda's new production office is at 41 Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JF, where Dr Graham Nelson (formerly the EHRC's Publications Officer) will now serve as Managing Editor. Details of Legenda's publications can be found at the new website: http://www.legenda.mhra.org.uk

For further details, please contact:

Mr Michael Gallico

Managing Director, Maney Publishing

Hudson Road, Leeds LS9 7DL

+44 (0)113 249 7481

Professor David Wells

Honorary Treasurer, Modern Humanities Research Association Birkbeck College, 43 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PD

+44 (0)207 631 6103

Professor Martin McLaughlin

Chairman of the Legenda Editorial Board

47 Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JF

+44 (0)1865 270493