GALLOWAY — At Stockton University, students are helping preserve South Jersey history one book at a time through what the university describes as New Jersey’s only student-staffed local history printing press.
The South Jersey Culture and History Center, directed by Distinguished Professor of Literature Tom Kinsella, has operated the press for 13 years. It has published approximately 40 books, including works on the Pine Barrens, environmental history, architecture, Jewish farming and personal memoirs. The center also publishes SoJourn, an annual journal devoted to the region’s history, culture and geography.
“They’ll last longer than that thing in your hand,” Kinsella said of printed books, referring to a student’s smartphone. Properly cared for, he said, a book can endure for generations.
Students take part in editing, proofreading, cover design, typography and page layout, gaining practical experience that Kinsella says applies to many forms of communication.
“You are making decisions about the look and feel of something you’re communicating, whether that’s in a book or a podcast or even a social media post,” he said.
Giving local stories a voice
Stockton senior Dickson Moreno, a literature major from Atlantic City, helped produce Stories from Gibersonville on the Mullica River, a memoir by former Port Republic Mayor Gary Giberson. Moreno worked on the cover, interior design and proofreading, taking care to preserve the author’s distinctive voice.
“The center’s printing press is really important because it’s one of the channels to give a voice to people who live locally,” Moreno said.
Another recent publication, None of Us Are Frights, is a poetry collection by Stockton graduate and adjunct professor Taylor Carmen Savath. The book explores the history of disabled sideshow performers and includes historical photographs. Savath, who has cerebral palsy, said she feels a personal connection to the people whose stories she tells.
Stockton sophomore Alyssa Shivers, a literature major from Springfield, helped edit the collection. The project required careful decisions about where lines and poems should break across pages.
“I think it’s really important for everyone to remember that writing is human. It makes us human,” Shivers said.
More South Jersey history in print
Other books released this year include Seven Bridges Road, about the Sheepshead Meadows area of the Mullica River Estuary; Quaker Sons Go to War, about a Burlington County family during the Civil War; and Delaware River Tugboats, an illustrated history.
The books are available through Amazon and Second Time Books in Mount Laurel. For information about the center, internships or book purchases, contact Kinsella at thomas.kinsella@stockton.edu.
Source: Stockton University news release, Nov. 10, 2026.
Photos from Stockton University’s South Jersey Culture and History Center
