University Press Of Kentucky

What University Press Of Kentucky does

University Press of Kentucky is a nonprofit scholarly publishing house founded in 1943 and operated as the publishing arm of the University of Kentucky. The press publishes academic and literary books across humanities, social sciences, film studies, African American studies, environmental studies, and regional subjects, with a particularly strong concentration in Appalachian studies, Kentucky history, and Southern culture. It maintains a catalog of 2,225+ titles and operates multiple imprints and series, including Screen Door Press (Black literary traditions, launching 2026), Fireside Industries, the New Poetry & Prose Series, Screen Classics (film studies), Horses in History, Place Matters (Appalachian studies), and Appalachian Futures: Black, Native & Queer Voices.

The press is built on a standard publishing technology stack: a Supadu-powered website (kentuckypress.com) provides catalog browsing, search, and eCommerce; Hopkins Fulfillment Services (Johns Hopkins University Press) handles shopping cart and order fulfillment; eBooks are converted to ePub format and distributed to Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Google eBookstore, eBrary, NetLibrary, and MyiLibrary, with approximately 1,300+ titles available for preview through Google Books. Hardcover titles are priced between $24.95 and $40.00, paperbacks between $17.95 and $35.00, and electronic versions are available approximately 30 days after print release.

The business model is a hybrid of direct-to-consumer sales through the press's website, wholesale distribution to bookstores, third-party retail distribution through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and BookShop, and library sales through eBook aggregators. The press generates revenue primarily through book sales (one-time/perpetual license unit pricing) and benefits from its affiliation with the University of Kentucky as a state-funded nonprofit. Editorial leadership consists of Editor in Chief Rachel Rosolina and Acquisitions Editor Alice Fugate Brown, covering a broad range of subject areas. The press has no external funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no venture capital or private equity ownership; it is fully owned by the University of Kentucky.

Name

University Press Of Kentucky

Legal name

The University Press of Kentucky

Website

https://kentuckypress.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

University Press of Kentucky is a nonprofit scholarly publishing house operated by the University of Kentucky, publishing academic and literary books across humanities, social sciences, and Appalachian/Kentucky regional studies through multiple imprints and specialty series, distributed via D2C, major retailers, and library aggregators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Monographs & University Press Publishing (MPAJABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Sciences Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAD), Interdisciplinary & Multidisciplinary Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAI), Education Research & Pedagogy Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAH), Communications, Media Studies & Journalism (EDAGABAK)

Keywords

• Scholarly book publishing
• Academic press imprints
• Literary fiction publishing
• Regional history books
• Ebook distribution services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: University Press of Kentucky generates revenue through direct sales of books via their website, as well as through third-party retail channels including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BookShop, and wholesale distribution to bookstores. Books are sold in both hardcover and paperback formats at various price points ranging from $17.95 to $40.00.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

University Press of Kentucky is a nonprofit university press that publishes academic, literary, and regional interest books in hardcover, paperback, and ePub electronic formats. The press operates multiple imprints (Screen Door Press, Fireside Industries) and specialized series (New Poetry & Prose, Screen Classics, Appalachian Futures, Horses in History, Place Matters) covering humanities and social sciences, with a particular focus on Appalachian and Kentucky regional content, film studies, African American studies, and literary fiction. Books are sold directly through the kentuckypress.com website and distributed through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BookShop, library aggregators, and wholesale to bookstores.

Product overview

University Press of Kentucky operates as a university press publishing academic, literary, and regional interest books. The company publishes both print (hardcover and paperback) and electronic formats distributed through major retail platforms (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BookShop) and library aggregators (eBrary, NetLibrary, MyiLibrary). The press maintains multiple imprints including Fireside Industries and Screen Door Press, alongside specialized series such as the New Poetry & Prose Series, Appalachian Futures: Black Native & Queer Voices, Screen Classics (film studies), Horses in History, and Place Matters (Appalachian studies). Authors receive publishing contracts with Screen Door Press offering a $5,000 prize per author.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Screen Door Press: Imprint dedicated to discovering unique, exceptional voices within Black literary traditions, publishing thought-provoking fiction.
• Fireside Industries
• University Press of Kentucky New Poetry & Prose Series

Products and services

• University Press of Kentucky Main Catalog The main university press publishing line covering academic and literary books in print (hardcover and paperback) and electronic formats, distributed through direct website sales, major retailers, and library channels. Serves scholars, general readers, libraries, and academic institutions with a catalog of 2,225+ titles spanning humanities and social sciences.
• Fireside Industries Imprint A publishing imprint of the University Press of Kentucky publishing specialized titles in select subject areas.
• Screen Door Press Imprint An imprint dedicated to discovering unique, exceptional voices within Black literary traditions, publishing thought-provoking fiction across a broad range of categories. Selected authors receive a publishing contract and a $5,000 prize.
• New Poetry & Prose Series A specialized series seeking manuscripts of contemporary poetry and fiction exhibiting attention to language, strong imagination, formal inventiveness, and awareness of literary roots. Sponsored by Centre College.
• Appalachian Futures: Black, Native, & Queer Voices Series A series giving voice to Black, Native, Latinx, Asian, Queer, and other nonwhite or ignored identities within Appalachia, actively seeking to dismantle harmful stereotypes.
• Screen Classics Series A series dedicated to film studies and cinema history publications.
• Horses in History Series A series covering equestrian history and Thoroughbred racing heritage.
• Place Matters: New Directions in Appalachian Studies Series A series exploring new directions in Appalachian studies and regional scholarship.
• eBook Distribution Services Electronic book distribution services converting titles to ePub format and distributing to Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Google eBookstore, eBrary, NetLibrary, MyiLibrary, and associated apps. Electronic versions typically become available approximately 30 days after print release.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,300+ books available for preview through Google Books

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• SupaducoreTechnology or IntegrationSupadu provides the website platform powering kentuckypress.com, including the book search, catalog browsing, and eCommerce functionality.
• Centre CollegesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentre College sponsors the University Press of Kentucky New Poetry & Prose Series, providing support for the publication of contemporary poetry and fiction.
• University of KentuckycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity Press of Kentucky is the scholarly publishing arm of the University of Kentucky. The press follows the University's accessibility policy and the mailing address is on the UK campus. The press also supports the UK Women & Philanthropy Internship program.
• GooglesupportingTechnology or IntegrationUniversity Press of Kentucky participates in Google Books preview program, with approximately 1,300+ books available for preview through Google Book Search.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vanderbilt University Press: A small-to-mid-sized university press publishing scholarly works across the humanities and social sciences. Comparable in scale and academic publishing focus to UPK.
• Graywolf Press: An independent literary press focused on poetry, fiction, and nonfiction with strong editorial reputation and award recognition. Comparable to UPK's New Poetry & Prose Series and literary fiction programs.
• University of North Carolina Press: A long-established university press publishing scholarly books on Southern history, American culture, and the humanities. Comparable as a regional scholarly publisher with similar subject matter overlap in American and Southern studies.
• Indiana University Press: A university press with strengths in film and media studies, music, folklore, and regional American studies. Comparable to UPK via shared subject areas such as Screen Classics and regional humanities.
• West Virginia University Press: A university press with a strong focus on Appalachian studies, similar to UPK's regional positioning. Comparable in scope, mission, and editorial emphasis on regional culture and history.
• University Press of Mississippi: A regional university press publishing scholarly work on Southern culture, literature, folklore, and African American studies with a comparable size and mission. Highly comparable as a state-affiliated, humanities-focused university press with similar backlist and series structures.
• University of Georgia Press: A university press with a strong focus on Southern studies, African American studies, environmental humanities, and literary fiction. Directly comparable to UPK in subject specialization and academic publishing scope.
• Temple University Press: A university press publishing scholarly books across American studies, race and ethnic studies, urban studies, and humanities - directly comparable subject matter and academic publisher profile.
• Ohio University Press: An Ohio-based university press publishing literary fiction, poetry, and regional studies through the Swallow Press imprint. Comparable to UPK's literary and regional publishing model.

Broad incumbents

• Johns Hopkins University Press: A larger, broad-scope academic publisher and UPK's fulfillment partner through Hopkins Fulfillment Services. Comparable as a scholarly publisher and as a direct operational partner rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-press-of-kentucky

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about University Press Of Kentucky