Bloomsbury Publishing

Name

Bloomsbury Publishing

Legal name

Bloomsbury Publishing Inc

Website

https://bloomsbury.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Book Publishers (513130), Other Publishers (51319), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB), Children’s Nonfiction Educational (Science, History, Nature) (EDAGAIAC), Business, Economics & Management Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAF), Business, Personal Finance & Careers Trade Publishing (MPAJAAAK)

Keywords

• Academic publishing
• Children's book publishing
• Trade fiction publishing
• Digital publishing platform
• Scholarly content distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consumer Book Sales: Sale of physical and digital books (hardcover, paperback, ebooks, audiobooks) directly to consumers through Bloomsbury's e-commerce platform and retail channels
2. Academic and Educational Publishing: Sale and licensing of academic titles, textbooks, and scholarly content to universities, colleges, libraries, and educational institutions
3. Digital Resource Subscriptions: Bloomsbury Digital Resources providing online tools and platforms for academic institutions with institutional licensing
4. Open Access Publishing: Bloomsbury Open Collections program publishing academic titles under open access model with various funding sources
5. Rights and Licensing: International rights sales, translations, and licensing of publishing content across global markets through regional operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bloomsbury Publishing publishes, markets, and sells books in physical, ebook, and audiobook formats across four core editorial divisions: Academic, Children's, Fiction, and Non-Fiction. The company also licenses online scholarly resources and databases to universities and libraries through its Bloomsbury Digital Resources platform, and operates an open access publishing program under Bloomsbury Open Collections.

Product overview

Bloomsbury Publishing is a diversified publishing company operating across four major segments: Academic, Children's, Fiction, and Non-Fiction. The company offers a multi-format portfolio including print books, ebooks, audiobooks, and digital resources. Key products include Bloomsbury Academic (scholarly and educational publishing), Bloomsbury Children's Books (children's and YA literature), Bloomsbury Fiction (literary and genre fiction), and Bloomsbury Non-Fiction. The company has expanded through acquisitions including ABC-CLIO and Rowman & Littlefield's academic business, and offers digital products such as Bloomsbury Digital Resources, Bloomsbury Audiobooks, and Bloomsbury Open Collections. Academic series include The Arden Shakespeare, Bloomsbury Revelations, Methuen Drama, and the 33 1/3 music series. The company also publishes special illustrated editions and operates Osprey Publishing for military history.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bloomsbury Academic: Academic publishing division covering humanities, social sciences, and arts disciplines
• Bloomsbury Children's Books
• Bloomsbury Digital Resources
• Rowman & Littlefield
• Bloomsbury Revelations
• The Arden Shakespeare
• Methuen Drama
• Osprey Publishing
• Fairchild Books
• Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited
• Bloomsbury Open Collections

Products and services

• Bloomsbury Academic Scholarly and educational publishing across 60+ academic disciplines, including humanities, social sciences, and professional subjects.
• Bloomsbury Children's Books Children's and young adult literature across age ranges from 0-5 through teen and young adult, including picture books, middle grade, and award-winning titles such as Harry Potter illustrated editions.
• Bloomsbury Fiction Trade fiction across literary, fantasy, romance, crime, historical, graphic novels, horror, poetry, short stories, and true crime genres, including Sarah J. Maas's bestselling ACOTAR series.
• Bloomsbury Non-Fiction Non-fiction titles across biography, memoir, history, popular science, politics, food, travel, health, and reference categories for adult general readers.
• Bloomsbury Digital Resources Subscription-based online databases and digital collections licensed to academic institutions, libraries, and researchers for teaching, learning, and scholarship.
• Bloomsbury Audiobooks Audiobook editions of Bloomsbury titles across fiction, non-fiction, and academic categories, sold directly to consumers without a subscription requirement.
• Bloomsbury Open Collections Open access academic book programme publishing titles under open access licensing with funding from research grants, institutions, and library aggregators.
• Rowman & Littlefield Academic Imprint Academic publishing imprint acquired in 2024 for $83 million, publishing scholarly works across humanities and social sciences under the Bloomsbury Academic umbrella.
• The Arden Shakespeare Scholarly series of critical editions and academic commentaries on Shakespeare's works, sold to students, scholars, and academic libraries.
• Bloomsbury Revelations Series Academic book series reprinting influential shorter works that have shaped thinking across multiple disciplines.
• Methuen Drama Drama publishing imprint offering plays, theatrical theory, and performance studies textbooks and editions.
• 33 1/3 Series Short academic book series each devoted to a single album, exploring music history and cultural impact for music studies courses and readers.
• Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited Digital resources and collections specifically designed for school and public library acquisitions and use.
• Harry Potter Illustrated Editions Collectible illustrated hardcover editions of the Harry Potter series featuring full-color illustrations, sold through Bloomsbury's retail and direct-to-consumer channels.
• ABC-CLIO Imprint US academic and non-fiction publisher acquired in 2021, specializing in reference works, non-fiction, and online educational materials for libraries and schools.
• Osprey Publishing Military history and aviation imprint under Bloomsbury, specializing in illustrated reference books on military campaigns, aircraft, and uniforms.
• Fairchild Books Fashion and textiles publishing imprint offering textbooks, reference works, and visual resources for fashion education programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Acquisition of Rowman & Littlefield academic business for $83 million significantly expands US market presence and publishing titles
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Google CloudcoreTechnology or Integration · 3 December 2025Strategic collaboration announced December 3, 2025 combining Bloomsbury's publishing expertise with secure AI technologies from Google Cloud. The partnership aims to improve book discovery, sales, and learning engagement, particularly within Bloomsbury's Academic Division. The collaboration also seeks operational efficiencies and data-driven insights across the company's business operations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Penguin Random House: The world's largest trade publisher and Bloomsbury's most significant competitor for author signings, shelf space, and retail bargaining power. Comparable as a diversified trade and children's publisher across fiction and non-fiction.
• HarperCollins: Major global trade publisher with strong children's and academic imprints (HarperCollins Children's, HarperAcademic). Direct competitor in trade fiction, including fantasy, and in children's literature where Bloomsbury has award-winning titles.
• Simon & Schuster: Big Five trade publisher with comparable breadth across fiction, non-fiction, and children's. Competes with Bloomsbury for the same mid-list and breakout authors in the US and UK markets.
• Hachette Book Group: Part of Hachette Livre, a major global publisher with strong trade and illustrated book programs. Competes directly with Bloomsbury across adult fiction, non-fiction, and illustrated editions.
• John Wiley & Sons: Global publisher with significant academic and professional programs. Comparable to Bloomsbury Academic on scholarly content and digital resources, though with stronger STEM orientation.
• Pearson: Largest education and academic publisher globally, with strong higher education and English-language teaching businesses. Comparable to Bloomsbury Academic on institutional sales, digital learning, and open access initiatives.

Direct peers

• Scholastic: The leading children's trade and educational publisher in the US. Closest peer to Bloomsbury's Children's Books division in terms of age-segmented publishing, school and library channels, and YA/children's fiction.
• Oxford University Press: Major academic and scholarly publisher with similar breadth across humanities and social sciences. Competes with Bloomsbury Academic for institutional library sales and scholarly monographs.
• Cambridge University Press: Premier academic publisher covering humanities, social sciences, and STM. Comparable to Bloomsbury Academic on scholarly monographs, reference works, and digital resources for institutions.
• Springer Nature: Major academic publisher with strength in STM, humanities, and social sciences. Overlaps with Bloomsbury Academic in scholarly publishing and competes for the same institutional library budgets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bloomsburybooks
• Facebookfacebook.com/BloomsburyPublishing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bloomsbury-publishing-plc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A17 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bloomsbury Publishing