The University of Utah Press announces a new director. 11 Sep 2026 The University of Utah's Marriott Library appoints new director of the University of Utah Press The J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah is delighted to announce the new director of the University of Utah Press, Brett Rushforth, Ph.D. Rushforth comes to the U from the Huntington Library and Art Galleries, where he served as Editor in Chief of the Huntington Library Quarterly. Previously, he was associate professor of history at the University of Oregon and the College of William and Mary, and assistant professor of history at Brigham Young University. He has served as North America section editor for History Compass and book review editor for the William and Mary Quarterly. Rushforth has published widely on the Indigenous Americas, early modern colonialism, slavery, material culture, legal history and religion. He is the author of the award-winning Bonds of Alliance: Indigenous and Atlantic Slaveries in New France (University of North Carolina Press, 2012), and, with coauthor Christopher Hodson, Beyond the Ocean: France and the Atlantic World from the Crusades to the Age of Revolutions (Oxford University Press, 2026). "We're excited to welcome such an avid scholar of North American history," shared Sarah Shreeves, Alice Sheets Marriott Dean of Libraries. "With the University of Utah Press's focus on publishing peer-reviewed books on Utah and regional history, Dr. Rushforth will be a key leader in maintaining the quality of books that the Press has come to be known for." Rushforth joins the Press during the fall semester, soon after the anniversary of 75 years of publishing. "The press has thrived under the direction of Glenda Cotter and the marvelous staff she assembled," Rushforth said. "University of Utah Press books help us understand the full range of the human experience, from the mysteries of the deep past to the urgent challenges of the present. It is an honor to join them in this important work." The position was previously held by Glenda Cotter, who retired this year after 17 years as director and over 30 years of employment. About the University of Utah Press Founded in 1949 by then University of Utah president A. Ray Olpin, the University of Utah Press has established itself as a leader in publishing peer-reviewed books on Utah history, Mormon studies, poetry, nature writing, archaeology, sustainability and more. The U of U Press is not only Utah's oldest press, but it has also published several authors who have gone on to win national recognition.

The Huntington Library launched its Virtual Reading Room (VRR) during the pandemic to ensure researchers could continue accessing rare materials despite in-person restrictions 1.