University of Cincinnati Press

University of Cincinnati Press was the publishing imprint and academic press associated with the University of Cincinnati in Ohio. Its history comprises two distinct operating periods. The first began in 1901 after Charles Phelps Taft provided the university with $5,500 to purchase a printing press. The university used the resulting equipment to issue works bearing the University of Cincinnati Press imprint, including scholarly monographs, textbooks, the University of Cincinnati Record, and University Studies, a periodical devoted to the work of university faculty. This initial operation ended in 1908, and the press itself was sold in 1914. The press was revived in the twenty-first century. The University of Cincinnati announced the modern version in 2016, and it formally launched in January 2017 under the auspices of the University of Cincinnati Libraries. The relaunch reflected the growth of library-based scholarly communication and open-access publishing rather than a return to the earlier campus printing operation. In 2017, the press was admitted to both the Library Publishing Coalition and the Association of University Presses, connecting it with professional networks for library publishing and scholarly presses. A significant part of the modern press's activity was its Cincinnati Library Publishing Services imprint, commonly known as CLiPS. Introduced in 2017, CLiPS published open-access textbooks and academic journals. This gave the press a role in supporting freely available educational and scholarly materials, including resources aligned with library publishing and affordable-learning initiatives. The press also served as an ambassador for OhioLINK's Affordable Learning initiative, linking its publishing work to efforts to reduce the cost of course materials for students in Ohio. During its modern operating period, distribution for the press's publications was handled by the University of Chicago Press's Chicago Distribution Center. The press therefore combined university-library administration, scholarly and educational publishing, open-access activity, and external distribution. In October 2024, the University of Cincinnati announced that the press would close effective June 30, 2025. Distribution of previously published works was subsequently assigned to the University of Minnesota Press. The closure ended the modern University of Cincinnati Press as an active publishing operation, although its published titles and related scholarly materials remain part of the academic publishing record.

University of Cincinnati Press originated in 1901 through a philanthropic gift from Charles Phelps Taft. Taft gave the University of Cincinnati $5,500 to acquire a printing press, enabling the university to produce publications under the University of Cincinnati Press imprint. Its early output included scholarly monographs and textbooks, as well as two recurring university publications: the University of Cincinnati Record, which reported university news on a bimonthly basis, and University Studies, which presented work by university faculty. The original press operation was short-lived. It stopped publishing in 1908, while the printing press purchased with Taft's gift was sold in 1914. The University of Cincinnati revived the name more than a century later. The modern press was announced in 2016 and launched in January 2017 as a library-supported publishing operation under the University of Cincinnati Libraries. Rather than functioning solely as a traditional print house, the relaunch was connected to library publishing, scholarly communication, and open educational resources. In 2017, the press joined the Library Publishing Coalition and the Association of University Presses. These memberships placed it within professional communities concerned with scholarly publishing standards, library-based publishing services, and the dissemination of academic work. Also in 2017, the press established Cincinnati Library Publishing Services, or CLiPS. The imprint focused on open-access textbooks and academic journals, extending the press's work beyond conventional university-press books. The press also acted as an ambassador for OhioLINK's Affordable Learning initiative, supporting the broader objective of lowering student costs for course materials. Its publications were distributed through the University of Chicago Press's Chicago Distribution Center while the press was active. The modern operation ultimately had a limited lifespan. In October 2024, the University of Cincinnati announced that University of Cincinnati Press would close on June 30, 2025. Distribution of titles already published by the press moved to the University of Minnesota Press. The brand therefore represents both an early twentieth-century university printing venture and a later library publishing program centered on academic, open-access, and affordable-learning content.

• 2024

  Closure announced

  [1]University of Cincinnati Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The University of Cincinnati announced that the press would close effective June 30, 2025, with distribution of existing publications moving to the University of Minnesota Press.

• 2017

  Modern University of Cincinnati Press launches

  [1]University of Cincinnati Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The relaunched press began operating under the University of Cincinnati Libraries and joined the Library Publishing Coalition and Association of University Presses.

• 2017

  CLiPS imprint introduced

  [1]University of Cincinnati Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Cincinnati Library Publishing Services launched to publish open-access textbooks and academic journals.

• 2016

  Modern press announced

  [1]University of Cincinnati Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The University of Cincinnati announced plans to revive the press as a modern university-library publishing operation.

• 1914

  Original printing press sold

  [1]University of Cincinnati Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The printing equipment acquired through Taft's gift was sold, completing the wind-down of the original press operation.

• 1908

  Original publishing operation ends

  [1]University of Cincinnati Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The first iteration of the press ceased publishing after producing monographs, textbooks, and university periodicals.

• 1901

  University of Cincinnati Press established

  [1]University of Cincinnati Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Charles Phelps Taft gave the University of Cincinnati $5,500 to purchase a printing press, leading to publications issued under the University of Cincinnati Press imprint.

University-based scholarly and library publisher with an emphasis on academic research, open-access textbooks, academic journals, and affordable learning materials.

• Scholarly books · 1901

  Academic monographs

  Academic monographs were part of the press's early publishing output and remained representative of its university-press function. These works were intended to disseminate specialized research and scholarship associated with the University of Cincinnati and its academic community.

• Educational publishing · 1901

  Textbooks

  Textbooks were among the publications issued by the original University of Cincinnati Press. In the modern period, the press's educational role was renewed through open-access textbook publishing designed to support teaching and reduce reliance on costly commercial course materials.

• Library publishing imprint · 2017

  Cincinnati Library Publishing Services (CLiPS)

  CLiPS was introduced in 2017 as an imprint of the modern press. It published open-access textbooks and academic journals, reflecting the University of Cincinnati Libraries' involvement in library-based scholarly communication and the development of freely accessible educational resources.

• Periodicals · 2017

  Academic journals

  Academic journals were published through the modern press, particularly under the CLiPS imprint. This work complemented the press's book publishing by providing a venue for ongoing scholarly communication and open-access dissemination.

• University periodical · 1901

  University of Cincinnati Record

  The University of Cincinnati Record was a bimonthly publication focused on university news and institutional affairs. It was one of the periodicals issued by the original press in the early twentieth century.

• Faculty scholarship periodical · 1901

  University Studies

  University Studies was a bimonthly publication presenting work by University of Cincinnati faculty. It formed part of the original press's effort to circulate institutional scholarship and research.

• 2017OhioLINK Affordable Learning ambassador initiative

  Ohio · United States

  The press served as an ambassador for OhioLINK's Affordable Learning initiative, aligning its publishing activities with efforts to expand access to lower-cost educational materials.

  Outcome. The initiative reinforced the press's role in open educational publishing and library-supported affordability efforts.

  Source

• 2024

  Decision to close the pressStrategy

  Background

  After operating as a library-supported academic publisher since its 2017 relaunch, the University of Cincinnati announced that the press would be discontinued.

  Action taken

  The university announced closure effective June 30, 2025, and arranged for the University of Minnesota Press to handle distribution of previously published works.

  Aftermath

  The closure ended the University of Cincinnati Press as an active publishing organization while preserving distribution for its existing publications through a different university press.

  Source

• 2017

  Launch of the CLiPS open-access imprintProduct launch

  Background

  The relaunched press was organized under the University of Cincinnati Libraries during a period of expanding library involvement in scholarly communication and open educational resources.

  Action taken

  The press created Cincinnati Library Publishing Services, or CLiPS, to publish open-access textbooks and academic journals.

  Aftermath

  CLiPS became a defining component of the modern press's publishing program and its connection to affordable-learning efforts.

  Source

1. 1University of Cincinnati Pressen.wikipedia.org