Kent State University Press
Kent State University Press is a 60-year-old, 7-employee university press publishing scholarly books and two academic journals (Civil War History, Ohio History) for academic institutions, libraries, and general history enthusiasts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1965
- HeadquartersKent, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Kent State University Press does
The Kent State University Press is the scholarly publishing arm of Kent State University, a public state university in Kent, Ohio, founded in 1965. With a staff of 7, the Press publishes peer-reviewed academic monographs, edited collections, and two academic journals — Civil War History and Ohio History — across subject areas including American history, Civil War studies, Ohio regional history, African American studies, women's studies, literature, poetry, and sports history. The catalog is organized into recurring series such as the Civil War History Readers, Civil War Era in the South, Literature & Medicine, Wick Poetry (partnered with the Wick Poetry Center), and True Crime History, with a lower-priced reprint imprint called Black Squirrel Books. Products are offered in cloth, paper, compact paper, eBook (ePub/ePDF at 15% off print price), and audiobook formats.
The Press operates a sales-led go-to-market: direct-to-consumer sales through an online storefront powered by btpubservices.com, phone orders routed through fulfillment partner Longleaf Services (800-848-6224), email/direct orders ([email protected], 330-672-7913), and a reseller network with sales representatives for bookstore and institutional distribution. Marketing is conducted through the website, seasonal catalog PDFs, an email newsletter, the "Book Starts Here" blog, Facebook, and author events at independent bookstores and literary venues. Revenue streams consist of one-time book sales (the dominant stream), recurring journal subscriptions and individual article sales, and limited specialty item sales such as handmade Civil War Commemorative Plates priced at $25. The Press operates without external equity ownership as a fully integrated unit of Kent State University, with no funding rounds, acquisitions, or M&A activity; it is affiliated with the Association of University Presses and the Association of American Publishers.
Kent State University Press firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kent State University Press
- Legal name
- The Kent State University Press
- Website
- https://kentstateuniversitypress.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1965
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Kent State University Press is a 60-year-old, 7-employee university press publishing scholarly books and two academic journals (Civil War History, Ohio History) for academic institutions, libraries, and general history enthusiasts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kent State University Press industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Academic Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (51313), Periodical Publishers (51312)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Research Monographs & University Press Publishing (MPAJABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Academic & Scholarly Journals Publishing (Peer-Reviewed) (MPAJABAC), Humanities & Arts Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAE), Social Sciences Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAD)
Keywords
Where Kent State University Press is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kent
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kent State University Press business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Selling academic and scholarly books directly to consumers and institutions through multiple channels including online store, phone orders, and resellers.
- Journals: Publishing academic journals including Civil War History and Ohio History with subscription and individual sales.
- Specialty Items: Limited edition collectible items such as Civil War commemorative plates sold directly.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Clothbound books |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Paperback books |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Compact paperbacks |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | eBook editions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Civil War Commemorative Plates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Kent State University Press product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kent State University Press publishes peer-reviewed scholarly books across disciplines including American history, Civil War studies, Ohio regional history, literature, poetry, and women's studies. It also publishes two academic journals — Civil War History and Ohio History — and operates the Black Squirrel Books reprint imprint, ebook and audiobook editions, and limited edition commemorative items.
Product overview
Kent State University Press is a university press that publishes scholarly books and two academic journals (Civil War History and Ohio History). The publishing program includes monographs, edited collections, and series such as Civil War History Readers, Civil War Era in the South, Literature & Medicine, Wick Poetry Series, and True Crime History Series. The press also offers Black Squirrel Books as a more affordable reprint imprint, audiobook editions through Audible, and ebook formats (ePub, ePDF) via Longleaf Services. Specialty products include Limited Edition Civil War Collectors' Plates. The press celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015 and is affiliated with Kent State University, the Association of American Publishers, and the Association of University Presses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Academic Book Publishing
Companies that use Kent State University Press
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kent State University Press technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Kent State University Press partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Kent State UniversitycoreParent institution providing institutional affiliation, staffing, and resources for the university press operation.
- Association of University PressesminorProfessional association membership providing industry standards, networking, and best practices for university press operations.
- Association of American PublishersminorTrade association membership for the publishing industry.
- Western Reserve Historical SocietyminorFrequent partner for publishing important works about the Ohio region.
- Wick Poetry CentercorePublishes winners of the annual Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize and the annual chapbook competition.
- Longleaf ServicescoreFulfillment partner for phone orders and distribution services. Call 800-848-6224 for institutional orders.
- btpubservices.comcoreE-commerce platform provider for online book sales and shopping cart functionality.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kent State University Press competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- University of North Carolina Press: Long-established public university press with strong American and regional history lists — similar scholarly focus and university-affiliated operation.
- West Virginia University Press: Smaller regional public university press with strong Appalachian and American history focus — comparable size and niche subject positioning to Kent State.
- University of Virginia Press: Public university press with humanities, history, and regional studies catalogs; comparable editorial scope and academic series structure.
- Ohio State University Press: A fellow Ohio-based public university press of comparable scale publishing scholarly monographs and series in regional and American studies; highly comparable in mission, output, and institutional backing.
- Indiana University Press: Mid-sized public university press with broad humanities and history lists, including journals and series — comparable in operating model and scale to Kent State.
- University of Nebraska Press: Public university press with deep Western/American history and humanities lists; comparable size, peer-reviewed journal publishing, and university-affiliated distribution model.
- University Press of Kentucky: A regional university press with a strong catalog in Appalachian, Civil War, and American history — closely aligned to Kent State's emphasis on regional and Civil War scholarship.
- Fordham University Press: Niche humanities-and-social-sciences university press of comparable scale producing monographs and series — closely comparable editorial footprint and pricing model.
Broad incumbents
- University of Chicago Press: Large, prestigious university press with broad humanities, history, and journals portfolio — overlaps with Kent State's subject areas but at substantially greater scale and brand recognition.
- Johns Hopkins University Press: Larger, established university press publishing extensive scholarly monographs and one of the largest university press journal programs — operates in the same scholarly publishing space but at materially greater scale and breadth.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kent State University Press social profiles
Digital presenceKent State University Press financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kent State University Press leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Kent State University Press funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kent State University Press M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kent State University Press
What does Kent State University Press do?
Kent State University Press publishes peer-reviewed scholarly books across disciplines including American history, Civil War studies, Ohio regional history, literature, poetry, and women's studies. It also publishes two academic journals — Civil War History and Ohio History — and operates the Black Squirrel Books reprint imprint, ebook and audiobook editions, and limited edition commemorative items.
Is Kent State University Press a public or private company?
Kent State University Press is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Kent State University Press founded?
Kent State University Press was founded in 1965. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Kent State University Press based?
Kent State University Press is headquartered in Kent, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kent State University Press make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are journals and specialty Items.
Who are Kent State University Press's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are University of North Carolina Press, West Virginia University Press, University of Virginia Press, Ohio State University Press, Indiana University Press, University of Nebraska Press, University Press of Kentucky and Fordham University Press. Broad incumbents are University of Chicago Press and Johns Hopkins University Press.
Does Kent State University Press have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kent State University Press.
What industry is Kent State University Press in?
Kent State University Press's product category is Academic Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJABAJ, Research Monographs & University Press Publishing, with a secondary code of MPAJABAC, Academic & Scholarly Journals Publishing (Peer-Reviewed). Its NAICS code is 51313 and its SIC code is 2731.