Frequently Asked Questions
Is publishing through Publishing Services the same as publishing through UC Press?
No. UC Press Publishing Services is a fee-based set of editorial, production, fulfillment, distribution, and consulting services that are available modularly, or as a full-service process.
What types of publications does Publishing Services accept?
We provide editorial and production services for books, conference proceedings, and reports. We provide fulfillment and distribution for commercially sold print and digital publications. If you are looking for open access distribution only, please contact the California Digital Library at eScholarship Publishing.
Will my book or journal be published under the UC Press imprint when I use Publishing Services?
No. Publishing Services books are not published through the UC Press imprint. They do not go through peer review and are not presented to the UC Press editorial committee for approval therefore cannot be published under the UC Press imprint. The UC Press logo does not appear on the publication.
What if I want my book published with UC Press?
If you are interested in publishing a book with UC Press, please find the relevant acquisitions editor on our website and contact them to see if your project is a fit for the UC Press list.
If my project is not accepted by UC Press, can I still publish with Publishing Services?
Publishing Services is only available to university affiliates (academic and research institutes, centers, departments, schools, colleges, cultural programs, and administrative offices). We do not work directly with individual faculty. Your project must be part of a university-affiliated organization that works with Publishing Services or California Digital Library.
Do authors receive contracts from UC Press when they use Publishing Services?
No, the press does not issue an author contract for Publishing Services projects because individual authors are not Publishing Services clients. Only university affiliated centers, departments, schools and colleges can work with Publishing Services. Individuals gain access to our services through their relationship with a program that has a Memo of Understanding (MOU) with a university affiliate.
What type of projects are accepted?
Publishing Services accepts scholarly, text, and trade books; conference proceedings; journals; and reports in all disciplines. The university affiliate chooses the format—print, web PDF, or EPUB—that it wishes to produce.
What formats are eligible for distribution services?
Publishing Services provides fulfillment and distribution for print, web PDF and EPUB formats. If you are interested in distributing an open access format, our UCPUBS partner, California Digital Library, has hosting options.
What subject areas are supported?
We can accept publications in all disciplines.
Are Publishing Services publications peer reviewed by UC Press?
No, Publishing Services publications are not peer reviewed by UC Press, nor are they evaluated by the UC Press Editorial Committee.
Can I submit an in incomplete or partial manuscript to Publishing Services?
No. Manuscripts must be complete prior to submission. Within each stage of editorial and production, recommendations and changes are introduced by Publishing Services. Publication managers and/or authors will have the opportunity to accept or reject those changes.
Will Publishing Services accept publications that include authors and contributors from outside UC?
Yes, authors from outside UC may be included, provided that the lead author on the project and the majority of authors or editors (for multiauthored or multiedited projects) are affiliated with UC.
Why would a UC affiliate use UC Press Publishing Services?
A university affiliate might use Publishing Services if they already have a publishing program, but they need support with production management or the distribution of their publications. Or they might have a publication manager but have gaps in their workflow that Publishing Services can help fill in.
Can a project be rejected by Publishing Services?
Yes, a project may be turned down at the sole discretion of the Publishing Services program manager.
What are the costs for Publishing Services?
Publishing Services aims to keep costs as low as possible. For editorial and production services, we do not have a published rate sheet because each project is priced based on complexity and need by date. Select only the services you need. Detailed cost estimates are provided before any services begin. Budgets are approved by affiliates prior to the start of work.
Fulfillment and distribution services use print-on-demand to fill customer orders. That means publications are only printed when an order is placed. So, there is no outlay of money to print books upfront. Print unit costs for customer orders are deducted from net sales revenue, which is paid to the affiliate annually in March. During the onboarding process, all titles will be evaluated for print-on-demand readiness. There may be additional fees prior to onboarding files not created by Publishing Services in order to ensure they meet our print-on-demand (POD) vendor specifications. Alternatively, we can provide you with those specs and templates and you can provide us with POD-ready files.
Can we publish in open access and use UC Press Publishing Services?
Yes! We can provide editorial and production services for publications intended for open access. We also offer fulfillment and distribution for affiliates that also want to sell a version in print or digital format in addition to open access.
Do costs change from project to project?
Yes, costs are based on length and complexity. However, Publishing Services affiliates benefit from UC Press’s longstanding relationships with vendors to ensure competitive rates for packagers, printers, and distributors. Our high volume helps to keep pricing low, but when market rates and supply for paper, labor, and freight fluctuate, our vendor pricing may change, and these changes would then be passed along to you.
Who owns the copyright for books created or distributed through Publishing Services?
The affiliate, the author, or another entity such as the Regents of the University of California is the publisher of the work. Publishing Services does not assume the role of publisher of the work, and therefore the copyright is not registered in the name of UC Press or Publishing Services.
Does Publishing Services handle permissions for external content?
No, Publishing Services does not review or secure permissions. External permissions for content included in the manuscript are the responsibility of the university affiliate.
What marketing and publicity services are provided?
We do not market or publicize publications created or distributed through publishing services. All advertising, conference attendance, award submission, and coordination and scheduling of author events is the sole responsibility of the university affiliate and authors.
Will publications be on the UC Press website?
Commercially sold books in the Fulfillment and Distribution Services program will appear on the UC Press website. Here is an example of a Publishing Services book. Note that the publisher and imprint displayed are that of the university affiliate.
Do I need to obtain my own ISBN?
Publishing Services can provide ISBNs for books or use the ISBNs assigned by the affiliate.
What support does Publishing Services offer for journals?
Publishing Services offers editorial and production services for journals that have their own publication and fulfillment strategy.
California Digital Library offers open access journal services through eScholarship Publishing.
UC Press also offers management and fulfillment for journals published under the UC Press imprint. You can find out more information by reaching out directly to the journals department at UC Press.