University Press of Kentucky Launches Free ebook Program, 8/8

Book lovers are proud of their sagging bookshelves. A lot of time, effort, and eyestrain goes into building a personal collection, but traveling with your favorites often means overstuffed carry-on bags and backpacks. Many readers would like to have electronic copies of their favorite books, but are reluctant to spend more money on something they already own.

To address this problem, the University Press of Kentucky is pleased to announce the launch of its free ebook loyalty program on Thursday, August 8. The first of its kind, this program allows any individual who has purchased a print copy of any of our title that is available as an ebook to receive a free copy of that file. With the digital market growing rapidly, this program gives customers the flexibility to purchase the print version of a book without worrying about the added cost of an ebook.

To participate in this program, customers simply need to submit a digital photo of themselves with the book and can expect to receive an ebook file within 7-10 business days. Amy Harris, Director of Marketing and Sales at the University Press of Kentucky, explained. "With our new ebook program, I want our customers to know that we're constantly looking out for their best interests and exploring new ways to serve them." Photos can be submitted to http://upkebooks.tumblr.com/submit.

With more than 450 titles available at launch, the ebook program will grow dramatically by the end of the year. "I estimate that we will have around 500 eligible titles available by the holidays," Harris said. "Almost every new title is available today and we're working to convert older books on a daily basis." The complete list of eligible books is available on the Press' website at

http://www.kentuckypress.com/live/list_ebooks.php?skip=0&max=25.

Kentucky is already recognized as a digital leader within the publishing community for its successful ebook strategy, gaining national attention for its electronic promotion of journalist Bob Edwards' recent memoir and for being launch partners for both University Press Scholarship Online and the University Press Content Consortium. The new ebook loyalty program has been designed by the University Press of Kentucky as a way to interact more closely with fans of its books. The Press will feature the most creative photos of people showcasing their books through social media and Harris is looking forward to seeing what our readers will send. "I can't wait for the first person who sneaks a book into Rupp Arena or the Kentucky Derby," she said. "Modern technology allows us to ship books instantly around the globe and we're excited to start sending ebooks to our loyal customers."

About the loyalty program:

All customers are eligible for the program if they can send a picture of themselves with the book. More details about the program can be found at http://upkebooks.tumblr.com/.

About the University Press of Kentucky:

The University Press of Kentucky is the scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and was organized in 1969 as successor to the University of Kentucky Press. The University Press of Kentucky has a dual mission-the publication of books of high scholarly merit in a variety of fields for a largely academic audience and the publication of books about the history and culture of Kentucky, the Ohio Valley region, the Upper South, and Appalachia. The Press is the statewide mandated nonprofit scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, operated as an agency of the University of Kentucky and serving all state institutions of higher learning, plus five private colleges and Kentucky's two major historical societies.