Research Guides: Textbook Alternatives: Smaller Publishers

Scholarly Presses and Smaller Publishers Search

Another option, is to look for texts published by university presses or scholarly associations--these non-profits offer high quality, often at moderate prices. Or, you can seek out small specialty publishers with expertise in specific fields. Texts from these "niche" publishers can be both high quality and reasonably priced.

The search box below searches the sites of some large university presses. Additional presses and specialty publishers are linked below by topic. There is is also a long list of scholarly publishers that publish on multiple topics.

Business

Rowman & Littlefield - Business
Offers reasonably priced texts on some business topics.
MIT Press
Publishes a small number of high quality and reasonably priced texts for economics, finance, and business.

Education

AAPC Publishing
Reasonably priced texts focusing on autism topics.
Brooke's Publishing
Books on education topics, including special education. Generally more reasonable prices than the large textbook publishers.
Gallaudet University Press
Specializes in deaf studies and deaf education.
Guilford Press - Education
Publishes moderately priced texts and books on Education topics, including Special Education.
ICPEL Textbooks
Very reasonably priced texts from the International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership [formerly the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration ] .
Jessica Kingsley
Specializes in books on books on autism, social work arts therapies, mental health, gender diversity, adoption and fostering, and special education.
NAEYC - National Association for the Education of Young Children
Reasonably priced books from the leading organization for early childhood educators.
Plural Publishing
Publishes texts for Special Education and Communication Sciences & Disorders.
RedLeaf Press
Inexpensive books on early childhood topics.
Rethinking Schools
Reasonably priced titles on K-12 education topics.
Rowman & Littlefield - Education
Publishes texts and books on many education topics. Usually offers reasonably priced paperback and ebook editions of texts
Stenhouse Publishers
A specialty publisher focusing on K-12 teacher professional development. Very reasonably priced books.
Teachers College Press
Academic books and texts on education topics.
TESOL Press
TESOL Press offers a large collection of titles for educators teaching English as a second or foreign language.

Health and Medicine

F.A. Davis Company
Publishes texts for nursing courses and other programs in the health professions.
Health Administration Press
Affiliated with the American College of Healthcare Executives, Health Administration Press provides many textbooks for graduate and undergraduate coursework.
Jones & Bartlett Learning
Offers many texts for nursing and other health science areas at more reasonable prices than the big text publishers.
MedMaster Books
Inexpensive medical texts and board review study guides.

Humanities and History

Boydell & Brewer
This publisher works in partnership with many humanities related institutions to produce books. The paperback versions tend to be reasonably priced.
Hackett Publishing
Independent publisher with moderate prices focuses on the humanities, with special strength in philosophy. Although Hackett publishes many translations of classic works, they also publish original content in the humanities.
Rowman & Littlefield
Publishes reasonably priced texts in history, music, performing arts, philosophy, religion, etc.
Singing/Voice texts from Plural Publishing

Mathematics & Statistics

American Mathematical Society
The AMS publishes a wide range of textbooks, from advanced graduate-level research, to collegiate mathematics, to resources for high school educators and students.
Institute of Mathematical Statistics Textbooks
"IMS Textbooks give introductory accounts of topics of current concern suitable for advanced courses at master's level, for doctoral students and for individual study. They are typically shorter than for a fully developed textbook, often arising from material created for a topical course. Lengths of 100-290 pages are envisaged. The books typically contain exercises."

Psychology

American Psychological Association
Browse APA books by topic on this page. Examination copies available.
Guilford Press - Psychology, Psychiatry, & Social Work
Publishes moderately priced texts and books.

Science

American Society For Microbiology
High quality texts. Now publishing via Wiley, so only some are still at moderate prices.
National Academies Press
"The NAP publishes more than 200 books a year on a wide range of topics in science, engineering, and medicine." Many titles can be downloaded for no charge in PDF form from the site.
Sundog Press
Reasonably priced texts on meteorology and climate science topics.
POGIL Project
"POGIL is an acronym for Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning. It is a student-centered, group-learning instructional strategy and philosophy developed through research on how students learn best." You'll find both free activities at the site and print texts which tend to be moderately priced.

Social Sciences

Boydell & Brewer
This publisher works in partnership with many scholarly institutions to produce books. The paperback versions tend to be reasonably priced.
Brookings Institution Press
Publishes books in the social sciences, especially economics and government.
Guilford Press
Publishes moderately priced texts and books on topics in communication, economics, geography, political science, & social science research methods.
Hurst
Publishes books on areas studies, current affairs, development, economics, international relations, etc.
Jones & Bartlett- Criminal Justice
Offers many texts for criminal justice courses at more reasonable prices than the large text publishers.
Lynne Rienner
This independent publisher offers reasonably priced texts in social sciences and world literature, including Black studies, criminology, development, disability studies, human rights, international studies, Jewish studies, nonprofit management, sociology, political science, . . .
NOLO
Reasonably priced primers on many legal topics.
Rowman & Littlefield
Publishes reasonably priced texts in many social sciences areas, including anthropology, communication, criminology, economics, geography, political science, social work, sociology, urban planning, etc. Usually offers reasonably priced paperback and ebook editions of texts.

Technology/Computing/Engineering

CRC Press
High quality books on engineering and technology topoics, sometimes reasonably priced.
Industrial Press
Offers moderately priced books related to construction & design, industrial engineering, manufacturing, CAD / CAM, supply chain, technical mathematics, etc. Many written by professors.
Jones & Bartlett
Offers many programming text and some engineering texts at more reasonable prices than the larger text publishers.
MIT Press
High quality reasonably priced texts in computer science, engineering, and technology.
No Starch Press
Reasonably priced books on computing/programming topics.

University Presses and Scholarly Associations that Publish Texts

Akron University
Publishes research on law, organizational studies, politics, psychology, sustainability, technology, (including polymer science), and poetry.
Cambridge University Press Textbooks
Many topics, most texts under $75.
*Not included in Alternative Texts Search.
Cornell University Press
Many subjects, "including anthropology, art history, Asian studies, classics, cultural studies, history, literary criticism and theory, medieval studies, New York City and State, philosophy, politics and international relations, security studies, Slavic and Eurasian studies, sociology, and urban studies." Also, life and natural sciences. Special strength in "labor and employment relations, the health care professions, and human resources."
Duke University Press
Books in many disciplines, but primarily humanities and social sciences.
Duquesne University Press
Publishes in areas of literary studies, philosophy, psychology, and religious studies with special strength in English Renaissance studies.
Fordham University Press
Many topics, primarily in the humanities and social sciences, including "anthropology, classics, communications, the fine arts, history, literary studies, philosophy, political theory, religion, sociology, and theology."
Georgetown University Press
Publishes course books in the following subject areas: bioethics, ethics, international affairs, languages, linguistics, political science, religion.
Indiana University Press
Many topics in the humanities and social sciences, including " African, African American, Asian, cultural, Jewish and Holocaust, Middle East, Russian and East European, and women's and gender studies; anthropology, film, history, bioethics, music, paleontology, philanthropy, philosophy, and religion."
Johns Hopkins University Press
Numerous topic areas, especially in history, science, literary studies, political science, and medicine.
Louisiana State University Press (LSU Press)
Publishes titles in the humanities, social sciences, and environment/natural science. Strengths: Civil War, European history, literary studies, slavery
Manchester University Press
Academic books and texts in the humanities and social sciences, esp art history, economics, media, history, literature, politics, and sociology.
Marquette University Press
"publishes scholarly works in philosophy, theology, history, and other selected humanities."
McGill Queen's University Press
Publishes mostly in the social sciences.
Michigan State University Press
Wide range of topics in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Special strengths in history, literature, Native American studies.
MIT Press Books
Publishes texts in architecture, biology, business, cognitive science, communication, computer science, economics, engineering, game design, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy, political science, technology, sustainable energy, and more.
Northern Illinois University Press
Publishes on topics in humanities and social sciences, with special emphasis on Slavic and East European studies, American and European history, and Midwestern U.S.
NYU Press
Publishes in the humanities, social sciences, and law.
Ohio State University Press
Academic books and texts for African American studies, creative writing, cultural studies, history, languages, literature, politics, and women's studies.
Oregon State University Press
"publishes mainly scholarly books and books of particular importance to the Pacific Northwest, especially those dealing with the history, natural history, cultures, and literature of the region or with environmental history and natural resource issues."
Penn State University Press
Many topics. If you want to adopt a Penn State Press book as a text, you can request inexpensive paperback versions.
Princeton University Press Textbooks
Undergrad and grad texts for Biology & Behavioral Science, Chinese Language,
Earth Sciences, Economics & Finance, Mathematics, Philosophy, and Physics.
Rutgers University Press
Includes academic books and texts on many topics. *Not included in Alternative Texts Search.
Southern Illinois University Press
Academic books on many topics.
Stanford University Press
Academic books on topics such as anthropology, area studies, business, economics, history, jewish studies, law, literature, philosophy, politics, religion, and sociology.
SUNY Press
Academic books and texts on many topics, esp social sciences, humanities, education, and psychology.
Syracuse University Press
Publishes on topics in the social sciences and humanities.
Temple University Press
Publishes mainly in the humanities and social sciences.
Texas A&M University Press
Subject areas include agriculture & range ecology, physical anthropology, aviation & space flight history, borderlands studies, business and oil history, horticulture, historical archaeology (Texas and the Southwest), military history, natural history, nature and the environment, nautical archaeology, political communication, presidential studies, regional history and humanities, veterinary medicine, and wildlife science.
Texas Tech University Press
Book topics include regional studies, American Indian studies, American legal studies, American roots music, border studies, environmental history, Jewish studies, Latin American & Latino/a studies, natural history & natural science, Vietnam & Southeast Asia studies.
Trinity University Press
Publishes books on nature & the environment, architecture and landscape, literary anthologies, and literary/writing studies, studies, and regional topics.
University of Alaska Press
Subject areas include: " politics and history, Native languages and cultures, science and natural history, biography and memoir, poetry, fiction and anthologies, and original translations."
University of Arizona Press Textbooks
Publishes numerous texts on a wide variety of topics.
University of Arkansas Press
Publishes texts in the social sciences and humanities, special strength in food studies.
University of British Columbia Press
Publishes texts in many areas, but is especially strong in the social sciences.
University Of Hawai'i Press
"Focuses on books in the humanities, social sciences, and life and earth sciences in areas that include history, religion, anthropology, literature, art and architecture, the environment, and language arts. The Press has an especially distinguished list in Asian studies and is recognized as a leader in the fields of Buddhist studies and Southeast Asian studies."
University of Illinois Press
Many topics primarily in the humanities and social science--strengths in African American studies, history, film and media, labor studies, music, women and gender studies,.
University of Iowa Press
Many topics, primarily in the humanities and social sciences, including "book arts and history, the craft of writing, fan studies, food studies, literary and general nonfiction, literary studies and poetics, midwestern history, culture, & archaeology, military and veterans’ studies, natural history of the Upper Midwest, poetry, public humanities, theatre history and culture."
University of Massachusetts Press
"American studies broadly defined—books that explore the history, politics, literature, culture, and environment of the United States"
University of Minnesota Press
Publishes books in the humanities and social sciences, especially politics, current events, music, art, architecture, race, sexuality, and history.
University of Nebraska Press
"The University of Nebraska Press publishes books in six broad areas: Native American and Indigenous Studies, History, Sports, Anthropology and Geography, American Studies and Cultural Criticism, Creative Works.
University of New Mexico Press
Publishes "in the fields of anthropology, archaeology, indigenous studies, Latin American studies, American studies, Chicana/o studies, art, architecture, and the history, literature, ecology, and cultures of the American West."
University of North Carolina Press
Publishes nonfiction in the social sciences and humanities.
University of North Texas Press
Publishes in the humanities and social sciences, with special emphasis on Texas history and culture, military history, western history, criminal justice, folklore, multicultural topics, music, natural and environmental history, culinary history, and women's studies.
University of Notre Dame Press
Publishes primarily on the humanities and traditional social sciences with concentrations in religion, philosophy, & ethics; literary criticism; medieval studies; political science; African American, Latin American, & Latino studies.
University of Oklahoma Press
Publishes works on the American West and the American Indian, as well as archaeology, classical studies, language and literature, the natural sciences, political science, and women’s studies.
University of Pennsylvania Press
"Penn is particularly well known for its books in American history, in European history and literary studies from late antiquity through the early modern period, in studio arts, and on international human rights issues." Also, publishes on topics in the humanities and social sciences, such as contemporary ethnography, urban studies, Jewish studies, international relations, economics, and business.
University of Pittsburgh Press
"The University of Pittsburgh Press publishes titles in Latin American studies, Russian and East European studies, international relations, poetry, Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania regional studies, environmental studies, architecture and landscape history, urban studies, composition and literacy, the history of science and the philosophy of science."
University of Rochester Press
"The University of Rochester Press publishes scholarly books in the areas of musicology, music theory, ethnomusicology, African studies, Central European studies, early modern European history, gender and race in twentieth century America, and the history of medicine."
University of South Carolina Press
Publishes "scholarship in the fields of history (American, African American, Southern, Civil War, culinary, maritime, and women's), regional studies, literature, religious studies, and rhetoric."
University of Tennessee Press
Publishes titles in the humanities and social studies, including "African American studies, Southern history, Appalachian studies, material culture, and literary studies."
University of Toronto Press
Texts are "primarily used for undergraduate college and university courses in history and the social sciences." UTP publishes scholarly books in the humanities, social sciences, and business.
University of Utah Press
Publishes in anthropology & archaeology; Mesoamerican, American Indian, Mormon, & Middle East studies; natural history & nature writing; and regional topics.
University of Virginia Press
"The UVaP editorial program focuses primarily on the humanities and social sciences with special concentrations in American history, African American studies, southern studies, literature, ecocriticism, and regional books."
University of Washington Press
Publishes on many topics with strengths in Native Americans of the Northwest Coast and Alaska, Asian American experience, anthropology, Asian studies, environmental studies, Jewish studies, and regional topics.
University of Wisconsin Press
Scholarly books are published in American studies, anthropology, art, classics, environmental studies, ethnic studies, film, gay & lesbian studies, history, Jewish studies, literary criticism, Slavic studies, etc.
University Press of Colorado & Utah State University Press
Offers books on "anthropology, archaeology, composition (writing studies), folklore, history, and the natural sciences."
University Press of Florida
Many topics, especially strong in anthropology and archaeology, dance, Latin American studies, Middle East studies, and literature.
University Press of Mississippi
Publishes books in the humanities, social sciences, and natural science. Special areas: African American studies, Faulkner, film, folklore, popular culture, southern history, literature, & music.
University Press of New England
"The publishing program reflects strengths in the humanities, liberal arts, fine, decorative, and performing arts, literature, New England culture, and interdisciplinary studies."
Vanderbilt University Press
"The editorial interests of Vanderbilt University Press include most areas of the humanities and social sciences, as well as health care and education."
Washington State University Press - WSU Press
Not included in custom search
Topics focus on the "American West, particularly the history, prehistory, environment, politics, and culture of the greater Northwest region."
Wayne State University Press
Many topics with special strengths in Great Lakes books, Judaica, and African American studies.
Wesleyan University Press
"an editorial program that focuses on poetry, music, dance, science fiction studies, film-TV, and Connecticut history and culture."
West Virginia University Press
Publishes nonfiction on African American literature, Central Appalachian natural sciences, Medieval studies, regional history and culture, as well as creative works of fiction and poetry.

Specialty Publishers

Bloomsbury Academic
Offers many reasonably priced texts in in the humanities, social sciences, education, business, and visual arts.
Universal Publishers
"Book publishers of scientific, technical, academic, and other specialized nonfiction"
Waveland Press
A college textbook publisher covering many subjects. Often the titles are reasonably priced.

Publisher sites included in the Custom Search

Columbia University Press
Academic books and textbooks on many topics.
Harvard University Press
Academic books and texts on a wide array of topics.
Oxford University Press Textbooks
Many topics - more reasonable prices.
University of Chicago Press Books
Texts on numerous topics published or distributed by University of Chicago Press.
University of Michigan Press
Books on a wide array of topics.
Yale University Press
Books and texts on a wide array of topics.
University of California Press Books
Publishes texts for many disciplines.

Page Index

Texty Textbook Excellence Award Winners

Some texts from scholarly and specialty publishers have won awards!

Practically Speaking
By J. Dan Rothwell, Oxford University Press
Note, 2nd ed won award, link goes to current 4th ed.
Medical Terminology Systems: A Body Systems Approach
By Barbara A. Gylys MEd, CMA-A (AAMA)
Mary Ellen Wedding MEd, MT(ASCP), CMA (AAMA), CPC (AAPC)
F.A. Davis Company
(specialty publisher with reasonable prices)
Seismic Methods and Applications:
A Guide for the Detection of Geologic Structures, Earthquake Zones and Hazards, Resource Exploration, and Geotechnical Engineering
by Andreas Stark
Universal Publishers (Specialty Publisher)
Learn Physics with Functional Programming
No Starch Press, 2024 winner

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