Why Publish with the MAA?

Donald J. Albers

This is a sample article from the February/March issue of MAA FOCUS.

Since it began publishing books in 1925, the MAA has been dedicated to quality exposition. Today it has nine different book series that encompass many areas and levels of collegiate mathematics, including biography, history, recreational mathematics, problems, textbooks, classroom resource materials, advanced monographs, and notes on pedagogy. Each year the MAA publishes approximately 20 new books. Below are several reasons why you should consider publishing with the MAA.

• The MAA is dedicated to quality exposition. MAA authors write out of a sense of obligation to colleagues and students. ' They often want to reveal old material in a new way or from a different perspective than is usually found, or they want to explicate new ideas. And they always want to motivate and clarify their exposition.
• Distinguished authors write MAA books. Here is a small sample of the MAA book author list: G. L. Alexanderson, E. T. Bell, Arthur Benjamin, Ralph Boas, David Bressoud, John H. Conway, H. S. M. Coxeter, Philip J. Davis, Underwood Dudley, William Dunham, Howard Eves, Gerald B. Folland, Martin Gardner, Fernando Gouvêa, Judith Grabiner, Richard Guy, I. N. Herstein, Mark Kac, Dan Kalman, Keith Kendig, Victor Klee, Loren Larson, Benoit Mandelbrot, Roger Nelsen, Ivan Niven, Oystein Ore, Ivars Peterson, George Pólya, Jennifer Quinn, Hans Rademacher, Constance Reid, W. W. Sawyer, N. E. Steenrod, Sherman Stein, Philip Straffin, Richard B. Thompson, Stan Wagon, Robin Wilson, I. M. Yaglom, and Robert Young.

• Authors of MAA books advance the mathematical sciences profession. MAA publishes books that make a difference to students, faculty, mathematicians in business and government, and others with an interest in mathematics.
• Authors receive outstanding editorial support from other mathematicians. Each book series is managed by a seasoned editor together with an editorial board made up of mathematicians, the majority of whom are college or university faculty. Editorial board members are selected on the basis of their experience with publications and devotion to quality exposition. They carefully review manuscripts that are submitted for publication, and make helpful comments to authors as they revise their manuscripts.
• Production quality is excellent. Whether a manuscript is published as a conventional print book, an e-book, or both, you can be assured of top-notch production of your book. Authors frequently praise MAA production personnel who help them turn out beautiful books.
• The MAA is committed to affordable prices of its books. The MAA keeps prices low so that books remain accessible to mathematicians and students. Every single MAA book is priced with members in mind, and every textbook is well below $100. Members get a 20 percent discount on book purchases.
• Royalties are competitive with other publishers. Despite MAA’s dedication to affordable books, authors don’t lose out in the bargain.
• MAA books remain in print for a long time. Many MAA books that are more than 40 years old are still in print. Thanks to advances in print-on-demand technology, the association can now quickly provide bound copies of any book.

Overall, when you publish with the MAA, both you and the mathematics community benefit.

Donald J. Albers is the retired editorial director of the MAA books program.