History | Publications

Background Information

The Ibadan University Press (IUP) was started in 1949 by Mr. John Harris, the first Librarian of the University College, Ibadan. It comprised two sections – the Printery and the Publishing House, both of which were started as arms of the University Library. The Press was established because the University found it inconvenient to rely on outside jobbers to satisfy its needs of rebuilding old journals and books and producing and binding new ones as indicated in the words of Kenneth Mellanby the first Principal of the University College Ibadan, quoted by F.A. Adesanoye (2000) (Ibadan at Fifty, 1948-1998, p.226).

It was not easy to get reasonably good printing done in Nigeria in the early days of the College … [and so] the University Press was a useful development. Originally, it was intended to be an ancillary department of the library, able to help with their printing and some of the work of the College but it grew and tackled much more important works.

A small second-hand platen printing machine was installed in the bindery of the Library. This was used to print the University’s inaugural lectures in the early 1950s, convocation addresses and Nigerian publications (a bibliography of works published in Nigeria).
In the early years, Mr. John Harris doubled as the Manager of the Printery as well as the Editor of the Press and used some library staff on a part-time basis for the day-to-day operations of the Press. Later, it became necessary to employ staff working full-time for the Press.
The first Nigerian Editor of the Press was Mr. N.J. Udoeyop who was appointed Trainee Editor in 1966. He later became the Ag. Director of the Ibadan University Press, Publishing House.

Management
In 1955, a Senate Publications Committee was set up charged with the responsibility of directing the affairs of the University Press. A reorganization carried out in 1973 under Professor R.P. Armstrong separated the Printery from the Publishing House, each with its own separate management.
In 1980, the management was handed over to the Centre for Resource Management and Consultancy (CEREMAC). This move resulted in very poor performance and loss of revenue and in 1985, after the disbandment of CEREMAC, the Senate Publications Committee resumed control of the Press.

Mode of Operation
The Printery is a commercial venture while the Publishing House was conceived as a scholarly press to publish learned journals, scholarly monographs and works of social import which commercial publishers would consider unprofitable to publish. Apart from these, the Publishing House also publishes such books as are likely to generate revenue without detracting from the academic orientation of the Publishing House.

Current Status and Location
The Printery which is currently managed as part of U.I. Ventures Ltd. is located near the premises of the University Maintenance Yard.
The Publishing House is a budgetary unit of the University and is under the control of the Senate Publications Committee. It is located behind the University Library, near the Faculty of Education Complex.

References
Adesanoye, F.A. 2000. Ibadan University Press (I.U.P.) 1952-1998 In Ibadan at Fifty (1948-1998): Nigeria’s Premier University in Perspective, ed. B.A. Mojuetan. Ibadan: Ibadan University Press.
University of Ibadan, 1976. The First Report of the Publications Committee on Ibadan University Press up to June 1976.
_________________ 1986. Reorganization of Ibadan University Press. A report submitted to the Governing Council of the University of Ibadan.