Editor's Report

As I reported last year, Speculum embarked on a phase in its development equal in importance to its founding, as it began its relationship with Cambridge University Press (CUP). After the signing of the five-year contract for volumes 85 (2010) through 89 (2014), both parties began the steps to make success possible. For its part the Academy had to organize over the summer, as it always has, the subscription rates for the coming volume, but this time the Academy's business work was delivered to CUP, which took over all business operations dealing with institutional subscribers. No turnover of this size could be uncomplicated, for record keeping varied and client expectations had to be adjusted. At the same time all staff participated in the webinars to gain expertise in the use of Editorial Manager, the online manuscript submission system, now in use (since 15 October 2009) for Speculum. Four full sessions on the phone, including one marathon of over three hours, and numerous follow-up consultations eased the transition. The Editorial Manager system was tailored to fit Speculum's criteria and standards, while giving the submission process some new features, for example, the requirement of an abstract or the option to name reviewers. Now the entire process from submission to evaluation to decision is online only. Maura Nolan was the first board member to use Editorial Manager successfully, while Roberta Krueger was a close second.

The most important task, of course, was the integration of Speculum's editorial procedures and production values with the CUP system. In anticipation of the time needed to produce the inaugural January 2010 issue, the editors shortened their own deadlines in order to be ready for any surprises. As one might well imagine, working with a new typesetter required special vigilance. Riding herd on hyphenation or kerning or line breaks, among a myriad of other details, was the required pastime. Copyright protocols had to be adjusted, and new terminology had to be appropriated-surely we all will soon learn what a "DOI" is: "a digital object identifier," which is how one locates a passage online since there are no pages. Volume 85, no. 1, hit the mail system on 23 February 2010, about a month later than is optimum. Cambridge Journals Online serves as the source for the online version of Speculum, should an institution subscribe, or is the source for back issues.

CUP support of Speculum has been consistent and generous. Editorial Manager has come free to Speculum, when it could have cost some $6,000 for implementation. The Academy will receive a royalty on Speculum sales to subscribers (i.e., institutions) and a sweetener of $35,000. A wide range of costs associated with the publication has begun to move off the Academy's ledger and on to Cambridge's: warehousing, printing costs, mailing. Office workload will decrease because CUP will manage all subscribers (but not members!). The Academy is working with CUP to create an online directory of members with secure access. The plan for the directory includes a print version, for those who wish, at a nominal charge. As those attending the 2010 meeting know, CUP has sponsored a reception and has made available various tokens of remembrance. As already announced, members of the Academy receive a 20 percent discount on all CUP titles. This benefit has had a warming effect on three other publishers who wish to offer discounts to MAA members. For the strategic future CUP has made Speculum's entry into online publication possible and opened the journal to wider distribution through an international marketing plan.

Now to some stats:

The number of pages printed in Speculum in 2009 was 1,150, 66 more than in 2008. We devoted 569 pages to reviews and brief notices, an increase of 83 pages in comparison with 2008. The number of pages devoted to articles was 502 in 2009, 530 in 2008, 548 in 2007; the number of articles was comparable, 16 in 2009, 15 in 2008, 17 in 2007. The costs for printing and mailing the journal were $95,459, compared with $90,357 in 2008, $85,663 in 2007 (cf. $109,778 in 2006).

I am happy to note that Speculum on JSTOR yielded a payment of $23,092 in 2009: 2008, $16,956 (corrected); 2007, $13,206 (cf. 2006, $12,420; 2005, $10,578; 2004, $9,802.75).The CUP agreement does not dissolve the Academy's relationship with JSTOR.

In this year of remarkable transition I owe a special thanks to the office staff, who have been required to change procedures, routines, and standard practices in order to accommodate new situations. The burden of change has fallen mainly on them. Let me cite the staff and their responsibilities as a function of Speculum: Jacqueline Brown, associate editor with special responsibilities for editing and production; Sheryl Mullane-Corvi, effectively business manager; Mary-Jo Arn, book review manager; Christopher Cole, manuscript traffic; and Lisa Fagin Davis, special editorial projects.

I am grateful to the Speculum Editorial Board for their continuing good advice on submissions, practices, and policy questions. Their collective discretion has assisted an easy working relationship, and their enthusiasm for Speculum continues unabated. They have received Editorial Manager as the editorial helpmate that it is now and will be. I thank Rachel Fulton, Maryanne Kowaleski, Roberta L. Krueger, Thomas F. X. Noble, Maura Nolan, Monika Otter, Conrad Rudolph (reappointed for a second term, 2010-14), and Elaine Treharne.

The book review editors for Speculum support a key function as well. Book review editors for 2010-11 will be as follows: Rebecca A. Baltzer, University of Texas (2008-11); Renate Blumenfeld-Kosinski, University of Pittsburgh (reappointed for a second term, 2010-13); Brian A. Catlos, University of California, Santa Cruz (2009-12); Theresa Coletti, University of Maryland (2009-12); Maria Dobozy, University of Utah (2009-12); Anthony Kaldellis, Ohio State University (2009-12); Stephen E. Lahey, University of Nebraska, Lincoln (2008-11); Josef W. Meri, University of Cambridge (reappointed for a second term, 2010-13); Joseph Falaky Nagy, University of California, Los Angeles (2008-11); Lawrence Nees, University of Delaware (2008-11); Frederick S. Paxton, Connecticut College (2009-12); H. Wayne Storey, Indiana University (2010-13); David Townsend, University of Toronto (2009-12); and Barbara F. Weissberger, University of Minnesota (2010-13). I acknowledge with thanks the contributions of F. Regina Psaki, who rotates off, and welcome newcomer H. Wayne Storey.

Respectfully submitted,
PAUL E. SZARMACH, Editor