For University Presses, Distribution Can Bring Profits—and Some Problems

By Jennifer Howard

In the never-ending quest to make money, or at least to help make ends meet, many university presses have turned to what might look like a simple business model. A press will contract with a smaller publisher, or an institution (such as an art museum) that only occasionally puts out a book, to handle basic customer-service tasks: fulfilling orders, warehousing books, and so forth.

Depending on the arrangement, the distributing press may offer more glamorous services as well, such as

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First Person

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Notes From Academe

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Commentary

Skeptical of Slippage

Past Coverage

For University Presses, Distribution Can Bring ProfitsÂ â€” and Some Problems - December 7, 2007
U. of Michigan Press Will Stop Distributing Titles for 'Radical' Publisher - June 18, 2008
University Presses Require Better Management Skills - September 17, 2004
University Presses Win Money for Collaborative Work on Humanities Monographs - January 18, 2008
U. of Idaho Press to Shut Down, and U. of Georgia Press to See State Support Halved - March 12, 2004

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