Princeton University Press launches direct-to-customer audiobook and e-book offering 

Princeton University Press (PUP) has launched a direct-to-consumer audiobook and e-books offering in partnership with Glassboxx.

Readers will be able to purchase audio and e-books through PUP’s website, with browsing, reading and listening supported by a new, reader-facing app.

PUP says the development is “the latest initiative in several years of active expansion across PUP platforms with growth that prioritises community, user experience and discoverability".

Katie Hope, director of marketing and sales at PUP, said: “We are dedicated to putting readers first in everything we do, a mission rooted in inclusivity, by giving them the opportunity to read in the format of their choice.

“As we looked to serve our readers by adding e-books and audiobooks to our existing print offerings, we found Glassboxx to be the right partner to help us accomplish these goals. We want to ensure the best service and shopping experience possible and Glassboxx will help us achieve that.”

The availability of direct-to-reader e-commerce options for PUP’s e-books and audiobooks, previously limited to print titles, follows the recent publication of the 100th title in PUP’s audio publishing programme, Princeton Audio. 

The introduction of direct-to-consumer sales for PUP’s e-books and audiobooks also comes amid ongoing efforts to publish more of the press’ extensive backlist catalogue in audiobook. New and forthcoming releases as part of this initiative include Angie Debo’s And Still the Waters Run. Originally published in hardcover in 1973, it was republished in October 2022 in new e-book, paperback, and audio editions –narrated by Kyle Harper and with a new foreword by Amanda Cobb-Greetham. 

Published in 2015 in e-book and paperback as part of PUP’s Princeton Classics series, Frederick M Cooper’s Racism: A Short History will also be forthcoming in audio narrated by John Chancer, in December.

Addressing the availability of direct-to-consumer e-book and audiobook sales, Christie Henry, PUP director, added: “This new chapter enables us to fully integrate and amplify diverse digital channels, following several years of growth. Since 2018, we’ve collaborated with imaginative, experienced partners on the creation of a new website, the launch of our Princeton Audio programme, and the ongoing evolution of list digitisation. We learn so much from the community of PUP readers and listeners, and from invaluable partners such as Glassboxx. We are excited and grateful for these vital exchanges.”