"Most of our books are sold in graduate schoolbookstores," Lindsay said.

Harvard students do get the convenience of theHolyoke Center display room, where damaged booksare sold for rock-bottom prices.

The press attracts authors through thetraditional publishing routes: unsolicitedmanuscripts, personal contacts and now, agents.

"More and more scholars have agents torepresent their work," Sisler said. "We've had toadjust for this new aspect in the business."

In addition, Harvard University Press editorstour universities to talk to scholars, scourscholarly journals for promising works indevelopment and attend professional academicconferences to meet with scholars and professors.

Once HU Press editors decide on a title,there's one more step to publication approval--theBoard of Syndics.

"If the books are going to carry the Harvardname, the University wants to be sure itrepresents the Harvard name," Sisler said.

The Board of Syndics, a 12-member facultycommittee, meets monthly to issue the officialUniversity stamp of approval. Sisler, who chairsthe board, says the University generally agrees tothe Press' decisions.

"The University is hands off," Sisler said. "Wetypically pick books that reflect the academicheft of the University, and they're usually happywith our choices."

That's partly because so many of the Press'choices are from the University itself. Harvardprofessors author about 33 percent of the Press'books each year, according to Sisler.

Harvard professors say they appreciate manythings about HU Press--including the convenienceand individual attention their works receive.

"You get to be a part of the process from startto finish," said Cabot Professor of EnglishLiterature and Professor of Afro-American StudiesWerner Sollors.

Sollors' recent publications with HU Pressinclude The Return of Thematic Criticism, TheBlack Columbiad, and the paperback edition ofNeither Black Nor White But Both.

"You can see the book as it's being published,make sure all the galleys are correct, be incontact quickly if something goes wrong--these arethe little things that matter," Sollors added.

Sollors also said the Press' small number oftitles makes it possible to get lots of individualattention and guidance.

For some Harvard professors, however, thepublishing needs of the press do not fit theirparticular research.

"I do think it's correct to say it's been thatfor some time Harvard University Press haspublished little or no political philosophy on theconservative side," said Keenan Professor ofGovernment Harvey C. Mansfield Jr. '53.

Mansfield's last collaboration with HU Presswas in 1978, with The Spirit of Liberalism.

"In my experience there's no true love betweenauthor and publisher," Mansfield said