Ohio University Press is one of the nation’s leading scholarly publishers. Founded in 1947 and formally organized in 1964 by President Vernon Alden, it has a strong publishing program ranging from academic monographs to regional interest titles to internationally acclaimed literary works.
As a publisher, we strive to publish the best in scholarship across all disciplines from Africa and Appalachia to Southeast Asia. Additionally, we offer a number of series dedicated to specialized areas of expertise.
About the Press
Ohio University Press is the oldest and largest scholarly publisher in the state of Ohio. Founded in 1947, OUP has been a key player in publishing scholarly work about Africa, Appalachia, the Midwest, and many other topics. Often recognized for its academic monographs and regional interest titles, the Press also publishes high-quality literary works.
As the scholarly publishing arm of Ohio University, OUP produces approximately fifty books each year and generates more than one million dollars in annual book sales. The Press operates under the direction of an Editorial Advisory Board composed of some of the most prominent scholars on the Athens campus.
The Press is an integral part of the intellectual community at Ohio University and is a vital resource for the research and teaching of its faculty, students, and alumni. It is dedicated to the cultivation of knowledge and to ensuring that scholarship has the broadest possible dissemination.
Currently, the Press is looking for new authors to join its growing list of titles in African studies, Victorian studies, formal poetry, and Midwestern and environmental history. Additionally, OUP seeks a diverse array of manuscripts on Ohio or its region for publication in the Ohio History and Kent State University Press journals.
To submit an article or other manuscript, email Donna DeBlasio. Submissions should be no more than 7,500 words in length, double spaced, and double-checked for originality, general interest, sources used, interpretation, and style.
Editors may decline a submission or request additional information if they consider it unsuitable for OUP. Similarly, they may decline a submission that has been previously published elsewhere.
In addition to the standard book form, the Press also publishes monographs in electronic format as well as ebooks and e-book supplements. These products are designed to provide a rich and immersive reading experience that is accessible across a variety of devices and platforms.
The Press has an extensive backlist of over 1,500 titles and publishes between forty-five and fifty books each year. Its books are regularly covered by a wide range of national and international news and review media, academic journals, and literary and cultural outlets.
Our Books
Ohio University Press is the largest and oldest scholarly publisher in the state of Ohio. Founded in 1947 and formally organized in 1964 by President Vernon Alden, the Press (including our trade imprint, Swallow Press) is an essential part of the University’s educational and research portfolio. Our books range from academic monographs to regional guides to internationally acclaimed literary works.
Our top-notch staff of twelve editors and production specialists is committed to providing our authors with the resources necessary to make their research visible. From the most advanced technology in book publishing to a comprehensive distribution network, we provide our authors with a bespoke service that is unmatched by any other scholarly publisher.
We’re also proud to boast one of the largest book collections in the state, spanning all periods and disciplines. Our rare book collection contains some of the world’s most important manuscripts and printed leaves from the 8th century to the present day. It is a treasure trove for scholars of all stripes.
As an added bonus, we are the first and only scholarly publisher in Ohio to offer a full suite of digital publishing services for our authors. Our online tools provide readers with an interactive, streamlined reading experience that is more engaging and convenient than ever before.
The new director will be tasked with maintaining Ohio University Press’s high standards while developing a cutting edge digital publishing program that is at the forefront of research and scholarship. She will work closely with the University’s leadership to explore exciting opportunities for collaboration on open access, amplification of historically underrepresented voices in research and scholarship, and joint engagement with campus, local, and professional communities.
Our Staff
Ohio University Press is the oldest scholarly publisher in the state of Ohio. The Press publishes about forty to fifty books a year that represent wide-ranging research in the humanities and social sciences. Its publications have been widely covered in national and international news and review media and regularly appear in academic journals.
Our staff members have a variety of backgrounds and experience, including writing, publishing, teaching, and research. They are dedicated to the Press's mission of providing high-quality scholarship to readers worldwide.
Kirsten Thomas (she/her) is a senior at Ohio University studying journalism and is a member of OHIO Honors Program. She is also an extern at the Supreme Court of Ohio and an editorial assistant for a Cincinnati-based freelance writer. She enjoys playing video games and reading comics, and she loves to write articles, reviews, features, and interviews.
Joseph Stanichar is a senior at Ohio University who writes about video games, superheroes and pop culture. He’s written for The Post, Game Informer and Paste Magazine. He’s a huge fan of comics, and he won Spider-Man 2 in his second-grade raffle!
Londynn-Rae Calwell is a student in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in environmental geography with a minor in meteorology. She is a forecaster for Scalia Lab and an ambassador for the University’s Climate and Sustainability initiative.
Her other interests include music, acoustics and literature. She serves on the OU MTNA board and she has performed at several Ohio University concerts.
She is also a member of the College of Arts and Sciences Diversity Council. She hopes to pursue a career in health sciences and to work on the intersections between mental health and race.
During her time at Ohio University, she has been a tutor in the Student Writing Center, and she is also a member of Ebony Minds, an organization that educates students on the issues that Black women face both locally and nationally. She also volunteers as a mentor and a student advisor for a student organization in the College of Business.
Throughout her time at Ohio University, she has been recognized for her commitment to her education and to her community through a number of awards, scholarships and opportunities. She has been a finalist for the American Association of Higher Education’s Graduate Student Leadership Award, the University Honor Code Award and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research Fellowship. She is also a recipient of the Dr. Herman "Butch" Hill Graduate Fellowship from Alpha Lambda Delta, an honor society that recognizes students' academic success in their first year at a college or university.
About the Director of Publishing
The Director of Publishing will lead a diverse team to identify and acquire books that contribute to the Press’s mission. They will work with an acquisitions editor and a permissions and acquisitions administrator to select 45 to 50 titles per year that are meaningful, competitive, and thought-provoking. They will also oversee the marketing and publicity of print and electronic books and supervise the Press’s foreign rights programs and co-publishing agreements.
They will develop university-wide, national, and international connections to increase the Press’s standing. In cooperation with the University Advancement office, they will create fundraising strategies and campaigns for the Press.
In their duties as publisher, the Director will work with faculty, students, and other scholars at Ohio University to develop new book series, maintain existing ones, and seek new partnerships. They will identify and secure manuscripts for those book series, and they will manage the series’ editing and production.
As a director, the person will also ensure that the Press’s publications are in line with the university’s academic priorities and mission. The Director will oversee and participate in the annual scholarly assessment of the Press’s publishing activities, and they will work with faculty, students, and other members of the university to determine the best ways for the Press to support the academic enterprise at Ohio University.
The Press’s books regularly appear in prominent national and international news and review media, as well as in academic journals and literary and cultural outlets. They are the foundation of research and analysis drawn upon by policymakers, opinion leaders, nonprofits, journalists, and influential authors.
In December, the Press hired Tony Sanfilippo, who previously served as director at Penn State University Press. He has 14 years of experience leading and innovating in scholarly publishing.