Drop-in advice table on grammar and publishing

The Ohio University Press will set up a table for its first Grammar Gab and Publisher Parley on Thursday, Oct. 27, from noon to 1 p.m. on the Baker University Center’s fourth-floor outside table space at the intersection of Court Street and Park Place, weather permitting. 

According to Managing Editor Tyler Balli, the Press envisions the table as a “nonjudgmental place where students can get quick, friendly help on language-related topics. They can ask about simple grammar and punctuation (for example, choosing whether to use their, they’re, or there, or knowing when to use a semicolon) or for assistance on their daily Wordle.” 

Unlike other writing help centers on campus, which focus mostly on helping students with the structure and content of their papers, the Press’s table fulfills the need for immediate, impromptu answers to an array of simple language-related problems and provides an opportunity for anyone to share their pet peeves, debate style guides, and more. 

Press staff members will also be available to talk about the role of the Press and experiential learning options in publishing. Press Director Beth Pratt explains, “Publishing jobs are highly competitive, and prior experience is essential. The Press offers students the opportunity to gain that valuable experience right here on campus.”

The Ohio University Press was incorporated in 1947, formally organized by Ohio University President Vernon Alden in 1964, and has since established itself as a leading publisher of books about Africa, Appalachia, the Midwest, and many other topics. Its books are regularly covered by prominent national and international news and review media, and frequently appear in academic and literary journals. In recent years, the Press has partnered with the State Library of Ohio, the US Capitol Historical Society, the Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland museums of art, Old Cove Press, and Ohio University’s Baker Peace Conference, Center for International Studies, Contemporary History Institute, and Central Region Humanities Center.