For the past year, one of my responsibilities as copy chief has been to manage the Ooligan blog, which generates content related to the book publishing program and industry-specific issues. Now, I am pleased to announce that Ooligan Press has acquired the Oregon Authors website; this site was previously maintained by the Oregon Library Association and was established to “provide access to information and resources about authors living in Oregon.” And while we will continue this tradition at the press, inheriting another social media platform has presented a unique and exciting opportunity for expanding the Ooligan brand and increasing the program’s involvement within Oregon’s rich literary community.

As one of the managing editors at the press, I’m thrilled to have another outlet that can attract a new audience while further developing the existing readership. The Ooligan blog (having program-specific articles) is particularly relevant to other students and readers already familiar with Ooligan. But this new endeavor is a chance for us to bolster our presence by showcasing what it means to be a teaching press: Portland State’s program allows for the students and the press to exist in academia as well as the book publishing industry, therefore we can contribute to ongoing discussions in the literary community through a plethora of resources that come from experience and research. As this process unfolds, I hope to see the creation of content that delves into industry-related topics and takes advantage of the resources and opportunities that come from being immersed in academia and publishing, as well as a vibrant literary community like Portland. The Oregon Authors website is our opportunity to establish Ooligan Press as a pillar of the community and an authority in the publishing industry, as a collection of informed voices. To fully round out the goals of this undertaking, I talked with the director of the book publishing program, Per Henningsgaard, who said:

I’m excited for PSU’s graduate program in book publishing to take over the Oregon Authors website … because it affords us yet another opportunity to contribute to the local literary culture. We already do this through the contributions our graduates make to the local publishing industry, as well as through the books and local authors published by Ooligan Press, but the Oregon Authors website represents new opportunities. We’re bringing together writers, publishers, libraries, and readers, and we want to make them equal stakeholders in this project.

I may not be here to see the project’s full transformation, but I’m excited just thinking of all the possibilities for the website as the press evolves. Upcoming articles to look forward to include an interest piece on the library systems in Multnomah County and Douglas County, a feature on Central Library, a roundup of writing conferences in Oregon, and interviews with local publishing professionals.