Island Press

Island Press is a nonprofit, environmental publisher based in Washington, D.C., that specializes in natural history, ecology, conservation, and the built environment. Established in 1984, Island Press generates about half of its revenue through sales and half through donations by organizations and individuals.

History

Island Press originated in northern California in 1978 as a publisher of books on the human relationship to the natural world. In 1984, the Press re-organized to focus exclusively on books for people working on solutions to environmental problems, defined broadly to include the protection of biodiversity, land use planning, environmental issues related to international trade, and other topics. As part of this refocusing, Island Press moved its main office to Washington, D.C., where it remains today.

Beginning with just a handful of titles per year and only three employees, Island Press has grown into a 30-person organization, governed by a 16-member Board of Directors comprising representatives from the scientific, philanthropic, academic, and conservation communities. ince 1984, Island Press has sold over 3 million books.

Island Press (Australia)

Island Press is an Australian publisher of poetry and other interests.

Island Press was founded in 1970 by Canadian poet, musician and Sydney University lecturer Philip Roberts. He lived on Scotland Island at that time, hence the name. In 1973 Philip moved to Bundeena. The first ten Island Press books were printed on expensive paper on an old hand-operated press, with hand-set lead type. In the mid-seventies this press was sold to Sydney University where it was used to print diplomas for a few years. In 1979 Philip Roberts returned to Canada and gave Island Press to the "discriminative eye" (Imago, September 1994) Philip Hammial. PH moved to Woodford in the Blue Mountains in late 1994. During its long career Island has published more than 50 titles.

"With a small press, what you lose in distribution, you gain in personal concern and cooperative effort. Hammial is energetic on behalf of his poets..." (Heather Cam, Sydney Morning Herald, 11 June 1994)

Books published include Michele Seminara, David Gilbey, Mark Roberts, Lauren Williams, Christine Townend, Jeltje Fanoy, Roberta Lowing, John Watson, Susan Adams, David Musgrave, Barbara De Franceschi, Lizz Murphy, Leith Morton, Philip Hammial, Rae Desmond Jones, Barbara De Francheschi, Les Wicks, David Brooks, Lizz Murphy, Jutta Sieverding, Martin Langford, Leith Morton, Carolyn Gerrish, Rob Reil, Barbara Petrie, Marcelle Freiman, Adam Aitken, J S Harry, Anthony Mannix, Denis Gallagher, John Tranter, Kris Hemensley, Andrew Taylor, Philip Roberts, Ken Bolton, Michael Witts, Keith Shadwick, Andrew Huntley, Robert Adamson, Martin Johnston and Kevin Gilbert.