Broadview Press
Independent Canadian academic publisher specializing in humanities books, scholarly editions, anthologies, and philosophy texts.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Broadview Press is an independent Canadian academic publisher whose program is centered on the humanities, especially English Studies and Philosophy. The company was incorporated as Broadview Press Ltd. on September 25, 1985, and was founded by Don LePan. In its early years, it operated from LePan's home in Peterborough, Ontario, issuing a relatively small number of trade and academic books. During the early 1990s, publications such as The Broadview Anthology of Poetry, The Broadview Reader, and the first titles in the Broadview Editions series helped establish a clearer academic identity. Broadview subsequently concentrated its publishing activity on scholarly and higher-education markets rather than maintaining a broad trade list. The company's publishing program includes literary anthologies, scholarly editions of literary works and philosophical classics, works of criticism, undergraduate course texts, and books in related humanities and social-science fields. Its editorial approach is particularly associated with contextual scholarship. Broadview Editions generally combine a newly edited text with explanatory notes, an introduction, chronology, bibliography, and contemporaneous primary-source documents that illuminate the historical and intellectual setting of the work. The series includes both canonical works and texts by less frequently anthologized authors. Representative editions include works such as Frankenstein, The Canterbury Tales, Jane Eyre, and Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, alongside editions of writers including Eliza Haywood, Charlotte Smith, Leonora Sansay, and Henry Fuller. Broadview is also known for The Broadview Anthology of British Literature, first published in 2006. The anthology competes in the university survey-course market with established English-literature anthologies and is distinguished by its broad selection of contextual materials. Philosophy is another major area of activity, with undergraduate and general-readership titles addressing introductory philosophy, critical thinking, social and political thought, ethics, war, feminism, games, and political theory. The list has included work by academics such as Jeffrey N. Cox, Thomas Hurka, Will Kymlicka, Roy Liuzza, Christopher Looby, Jerome J. McGann, A. P. Martinich, Anne K. Mellor, Koritha Mitchell, Tilottama Rajan, John Sutherland, and Susan Wolfson. Broadview's scope has not always been limited to English Studies and Philosophy. It has also published in history and political science, among other humanities and social-science disciplines. In May 2008, the company sold its social-science and history lists to University of Toronto Press. Michael Harrison, who had served as Broadview's vice-president from 1992 to 2004 and president from 2005 to 2008, and several Broadview employees subsequently joined University of Toronto Press to establish its Higher Education division. Following the transaction, Broadview refocused on English Studies and Philosophy, and LePan resumed the roles of president and chief executive officer. Broadview launched the Freehand Books literary imprint in 2008 to publish aesthetically diverse Canadian writing by both established authors and emerging voices. Freehand titles received significant literary recognition, including Marina Endicott's Good to a Fault, which won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book in Canada and the Caribbean and was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Ian Williams's Personals was shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize in 2013. Freehand became independent in 2016 under novelist and bookstore owner JoAnn McCaig and was later sold to Glenn Rollans in 2021. Leadership changed again in 2013, when Leslie Dema became president while LePan remained chief executive and concentrated increasingly on a limited number of anthology projects. Dema guided the company through major changes in publishing technology and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic period. She left the presidency in 2023 to pursue university administration. Stephen Latta, previously Broadview's Philosophy Editor, became president in July 2023. In the same transition, Marjorie Mather became vice-president for Editorial and Production, and Christine Handley became vice-president for Sales and Distribution. Broadview remains an incorporated private company governed by a board of directors and held by more than two dozen shareholders. The reference material describes a backlist of more than 800 titles, including more than 350 Broadview Editions, and annual publication of approximately 35 new titles, with a workforce of more than 30 people.
History
Broadview Press was incorporated as Broadview Press Ltd. on September 25, 1985, with Don LePan as its founder. The company began in Peterborough, Ontario, operating from LePan's home and publishing a modest selection of both trade and academic books. Its direction became more defined in the early 1990s, when the publication of The Broadview Anthology of Poetry, The Broadview Reader, and the initial books in the Broadview Editions series helped move the company toward an exclusively academic publishing model. The Broadview Editions program became a central expression of the press's editorial identity. Rather than presenting literary and philosophical classics as bare modernized texts, the editions generally provide new editorial work, annotation, introductions, chronologies, bibliographies, and primary documents from the period in which the work emerged. D. L. Macdonald and Kathleen Scherf's 1992 edition of Frankenstein pioneered the use of extensive contextual materials that later became characteristic of the series. The program expanded to more than 350 titles, encompassing familiar works such as The Canterbury Tales, Jane Eyre, and Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, as well as works by less frequently taught authors. Broadview also developed a substantial presence in university literature teaching through The Broadview Anthology of British Literature, first issued in 2006. Its contextual breadth positioned it as a competitor to long-established English-literature survey anthologies. Alongside English Studies, the press built a significant Philosophy list that included introductory texts, critical-thinking books, anthologies of social and political thought, and books addressing ethics, war, feminism, games, and political theory. Broadview continued to publish selectively in history and political science as well. A major organizational change occurred in May 2008, when Broadview sold its social-science and history lists to University of Toronto Press. Michael Harrison, who had been a Broadview vice-president from 1992 to 2004 and president from 2005 to 2008, joined that press with several colleagues to help form its Higher Education division. The transaction led Broadview to refocus its own program on English Studies and Philosophy. LePan returned to the presidency and chief executive role after Harrison's departure. The company expanded beyond academic publishing in 2008 by launching Freehand Books, a literary imprint devoted to aesthetically varied Canadian writing from established and emerging authors. Freehand's early list included Marina Endicott's Good to a Fault, which received major Canadian literary recognition, and later included Ian Williams's poetry collection Personals, shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize in 2013. Freehand became independent in 2016 under JoAnn McCaig and was sold to Glenn Rollans in 2021. In 2013, Leslie Dema became Broadview's president. LePan retained the chief executive position while increasingly concentrating on a limited number of anthology projects. Dema managed the press during rapid technological change in publishing and the disruption associated with the pandemic years. She left the presidency in 2023 to pursue university administration. Stephen Latta, a longtime Broadview Philosophy Editor, was appointed president in July 2023. The leadership transition also placed Marjorie Mather in charge of Editorial and Production as vice-president and Christine Handley in charge of Sales and Distribution as vice-president. Broadview is an incorporated private company governed by a board of directors and held by more than two dozen shareholders. The reference material describes a company with more than 30 employees, over 800 titles in print, and approximately 35 new titles published annually. Its offices are distributed across Canada in Calgary, Peterborough, Nanaimo, Guelph, and Wolfville. The press remains focused primarily on scholarly and educational publishing in the humanities, particularly English Studies and Philosophy.
- 2023
New senior leadership appointed
[1]Stephen Latta became president, while Marjorie Mather and Christine Handley became vice-presidents for Editorial and Production and Sales and Distribution, respectively.
- 2016
Freehand Books becomes independent
[1]Freehand separated from Broadview under JoAnn McCaig's ownership.
- 2013
Leslie Dema appointed president
[1]Leslie Dema became president and assumed responsibility for most of Broadview's operations.
- 2008
History and social-science lists transferred
[1]Broadview sold its history and social-science lists to University of Toronto Press and refocused on English Studies and Philosophy.
- 2008
Freehand Books launched
[1]Broadview created Freehand Books as a literary imprint for Canadian writing.
- 2006
The Broadview Anthology of British Literature first published
[1]Broadview introduced its British-literature survey anthology, strengthening its position in university English-literature courses.
- 1992
Contextual editorial model established in Broadview Editions
[1]The Broadview edition of Frankenstein helped establish the series' practice of combining edited texts with contextual primary-source materials.
- 1985
Broadview Press incorporated
[1]Broadview Press Ltd., the corporate predecessor of the current company, was incorporated on September 25, 1985, with Don LePan as founder.
Products and positioning
An independent, humanities-focused academic press known for carefully edited literary and philosophical texts, extensive contextual materials, and books designed for university teaching and scholarly use.
Scholarly editions · 1992
Broadview Editions
A major series of newly edited literary and philosophical works. Editions generally include annotation, an introduction, chronology, bibliography, and documents from the historical period surrounding the work. The series combines well-known classics with texts by authors who have received less attention in standard curricula.
Literary anthology · 2006
The Broadview Anthology of British Literature
A university-oriented survey anthology of British literature first published in 2006. It is designed for British-literature courses and emphasizes contextual breadth by placing literary works alongside relevant historical and cultural documents.
Poetry anthology
The Broadview Anthology of Poetry
One of the early publications that helped Broadview move from a mixed trade and academic list toward a focused humanities publishing program.
Philosophy textbooks and readers
Broadview philosophy texts
A substantial philosophy program serving undergraduate courses and, in some cases, general readers. Topics represented in the list include introductory philosophy, critical thinking, social and political thought, ethics, war, feminist theory, games, life, and utopian thought.
Literary imprint · 2008
Freehand Books
A literary imprint launched by Broadview in 2008 to publish diverse Canadian writing by established authors and emerging voices. It became an independent company in 2016 and is therefore no longer a Broadview offering.
Brand decisions
2023
Presidential succession and senior management transitionOtherBackground
Leslie Dema resigned as president to pursue university administration after leading Broadview through technological change and pandemic-era disruption.
Action taken
Stephen Latta was appointed president in July 2023. Marjorie Mather and Christine Handley were appointed vice-presidents for Editorial and Production and Sales and Distribution.
Aftermath
Don LePan remained chief executive, with an increasingly limited focus on selected anthology projects.
2016
Freehand Books divestedM&ABackground
Broadview separated its literary imprint from the academic press.
Action taken
Freehand became independent under JoAnn McCaig.
Aftermath
Freehand later changed ownership again when it was sold to Glenn Rollans in 2021.
2008
Transfer of history and social-science publishing listsM&ABackground
Broadview decided to sell its social-science and history lists to University of Toronto Press.
Action taken
The lists were transferred in May 2008, and Michael Harrison and several Broadview staff members moved to University of Toronto Press's new Higher Education division.
Aftermath
Broadview narrowed its core publishing focus to English Studies and Philosophy, while LePan returned as president and chief executive.
2008
Launch of Freehand BooksStrategyBackground
Broadview expanded into Canadian literary publishing while retaining its academic identity.
Action taken
It launched Freehand Books as an imprint for aesthetically diverse Canadian writing by established and new authors.
Aftermath
Freehand published recognized titles before becoming independent in 2016.
Recent events
- 2023
Stephen Latta appointed Broadview Press president[1]
Leadership change
Stephen Latta became president after serving for many years as Broadview's Philosophy Editor. Marjorie Mather and Christine Handley also assumed senior editorial, production, sales, and distribution responsibilities.
- 2021
Freehand Books sold to Glenn Rollans[1]
M&A
Freehand Books changed ownership when it was sold to Glenn Rollans.
- 2016
Freehand Books becomes independent[1]
Other
Freehand separated from Broadview under the ownership of novelist and bookstore owner JoAnn McCaig.
- 2008
Broadview sells its social-science and history lists to University of Toronto Press[1]
M&A
Broadview transferred its social-science and history publishing lists to University of Toronto Press and subsequently concentrated more strongly on English Studies and Philosophy.
- 2008
Broadview launches Freehand Books literary imprint[1]
Product launch
Broadview established Freehand Books to publish diverse Canadian literary writing by established authors and new voices.
Sources2 sources
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