Digital FAQ

Is my book an ebook? What platform is it available on?
We’re doing everything possible to make sure that the bulk of our titles are available electronically. If UPK holds electronic rights, we will convert your book into an ePub file that will be distributed to the Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Google eBookstore, eBrary, NetLibrary, MyiLibrary, and all “apps” associated with those companies. We’re currently adding vendors, so check back with us to see our growing list.

My book just released from the Press so when will it be available electronically?
This conversion process takes a little time, but your book should be available electronically approximately 30 days after the print book is released.

How many of the Press’s books are available electronically?
This number varies greatly by vendor, but if you do a search for the “University Press of Kentucky” as the publisher in each vendor’s store you can get a complete number.

Do you sell ebooks directly through your website?
As of 2019, we no longer sell PDF and EPUB files directly through our website.

Will my electronic book look identical to the print version?
No it won’t. eBooks are quite different and vary by platform. We encourage you to try out some of the various devices and see how your book looks on them.

I’ve found my book available as a free download somewhere. Is this legal? Whom should I contact?
This website is breaking copyright law and that book should be taken down immediately. Please contact Alice Fugate Brown ([email protected]) and we’ll take care of it for you.

Why is my book viewable in Google book search for free?
Approximately 1,300+ of our books may be previewed through this program. Readers can browse these “limited preview” titles, and at present we have up to 70% of each book visible. The reason for this is to allow people the opportunity to determine if the book contains the information they desire before making a purchase, just as they might browse on Amazon, at a bookstore, or even at a public library. This also allows a customer to begin reading online and then easily purchase an electronic version through the Google eBookstore. Please keep in mind that the viewer is unable to print, download, copy, share, or highlight from these pages. We believe that this is a beneficial use of technology to market our titles and improve the visibility and sales of our books.

If you are uncomfortable with this strategy, we can remove the entire preview search of the book; or, if you prefer, we can request that Google lower the visibility to 20% or less. This change will take place in three to five business days and we will confirm with Google that the percentage of text displayed has been reduced. We can also notify you when this has been completed.