Globe Pequot Publishing Group

The Globe Pequot Publishing Group is an American independent publishing organization whose present identity emerged from the long-running Rowman & Littlefield publishing business. The company traces its origins to 1949 and has operated through a portfolio of publishing imprints rather than as a single consumer-facing book label. Its publishing activity has included trade, regional, outdoor, travel, lifestyle, cultural, and other interest-based books, alongside academic, professional, school, and specialist publishing businesses that were later separated from the group. The modern corporate structure took shape in 1988, when University Press of America acquired Rowman & Littlefield and adopted the Rowman & Littlefield name for the resulting holding company. Over time, the organization expanded through acquisitions and affiliated operations. One of the most significant additions was Globe Pequot Press, acquired in 2014. Globe Pequot became especially important after the company divested much of its academic and professional publishing activity in 2024 and subsequently adopted The Globe Pequot Publishing Group as its corporate name. The group has historically combined publishing with distribution and operated a broad family of imprints. Its businesses have served both general readers and institutional audiences, with books distributed through specialist and mainstream channels. The company also maintained an affiliated London-based operation, Rowman & Littlefield International, established in 2013. That business was editorially independent and concentrated on academic books in philosophy, politics and international relations, and cultural studies. A major strategic transition occurred on May 29, 2024, when Rowman & Littlefield sold its academic and professional publishing business to Bloomsbury Publishing. The transaction included the Rowman & Littlefield name and trademark, but excluded most of the trade publishing operation conducted under Globe Pequot. It also excluded or treated separately several other businesses, including the Sundance Newbridge school publishing operation and National Book Network, while Applause Books and Backbeat Books were included in the Bloomsbury transaction. Following the sale, the remaining holding company changed its name to The Globe Pequot Publishing Group, using the retained Globe Pequot trade imprint as its corporate identity. The post-transaction group continued to reshape its portfolio. In September 2024, it sold Sundance Newbridge to Lerner Publishing. It also announced the planned closure of National Book Network, with distribution of its titles scheduled to move to Simon & Schuster Distribution Services during the second half of 2025. These changes indicate a more focused organization centered on retained trade publishing rather than the broader academic, professional, school-publishing, and distribution structure associated with the former Rowman & Littlefield group. The company has also supported publishing-related and educational initiatives. It sponsors the Rowman & Littlefield Award in Innovative Teaching, presented annually by the American Political Science Association to recognize advances in political science pedagogy. Overall, the group is best understood as an independent publishing house and imprint portfolio whose business has evolved through acquisitions, divestitures, renaming, and concentration on trade and special-interest publishing.

The publishing organization now known as The Globe Pequot Publishing Group traces its origins to 1949. Its historical development is closely connected with Rowman & Littlefield and with the broader expansion of independent American publishing into specialized trade, academic, professional, and regional categories. The current corporate structure began to take shape in 1988, when University Press of America acquired Rowman & Littlefield. The combined organization adopted the Rowman & Littlefield name for its holding company. Rather than relying on one unified editorial list, the group developed through multiple imprints and affiliated businesses, enabling it to serve distinct readerships and institutional markets. In 2013, an affiliated London operation called Rowman & Littlefield International was established. It operated with editorial independence from the United States-based trade business and concentrated on academic books in philosophy, politics and international relations, and cultural studies. The group later strengthened its trade and special-interest presence through the 2014 acquisition of Globe Pequot Press. Globe Pequot became a central retained imprint, particularly in regional, travel, outdoor, and other interest-driven publishing. The organization also operated beyond conventional publishing. Its former portfolio included academic and professional lists, school publishing, specialist imprints, and National Book Network, a book-distribution business based in Lanham, Maryland. The breadth of this structure made Rowman & Littlefield both a publisher and a platform for distributing books from affiliated and external presses. The decisive restructuring came in 2024. On May 29, Rowman & Littlefield sold its academic and professional publishing business to Bloomsbury Publishing. The transaction included the Rowman & Littlefield name and trademark. It also included Applause Books and Backbeat Books, while most of the trade publishing business under Globe Pequot was excluded and retained. Sundance Newbridge and National Book Network were also outside the main sale. Because the corporate name could no longer remain with the continuing company, the holding company adopted The Globe Pequot Publishing Group as its new name. The remaining group then continued to narrow its activities. In September 2024, it sold Sundance Newbridge to Lerner Publishing. It also announced that National Book Network would close, with title distribution expected to transfer to Simon & Schuster Distribution Services during the second half of 2025. These moves marked a shift away from the former conglomerated structure and toward a more focused trade-publishing business organized around retained Globe Pequot activities and related imprints. Alongside its publishing operations, the organization has supported recognition of innovation in teaching. The Rowman & Littlefield Award in Innovative Teaching is presented annually by the American Political Science Association and recognizes contributions to political science pedagogy. The award reflects the group's historical connection with scholarly and educational publishing, even as much of that business was divested in 2024.

• 2025

  National Book Network distribution transition planned

  [1]Globe Pequot Publishing Groupen.wikipedia.org

  National Book Network was scheduled for closure, with distribution of its titles planned to move to Simon & Schuster Distribution Services in the second half of 2025.

• 2024

  Academic and professional publishing business sold

  [1]Globe Pequot Publishing Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The business was sold to Bloomsbury Publishing on May 29, 2024, with the Rowman & Littlefield name and trademark included in the transaction.

• 2024

  Company renamed The Globe Pequot Publishing Group

  [1]Globe Pequot Publishing Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The continuing holding company adopted the Globe Pequot name after the Rowman & Littlefield trademark moved to Bloomsbury.

• 2024

  Sundance Newbridge sold

  [1]Globe Pequot Publishing Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The group sold its school-publishing business Sundance Newbridge to Lerner Publishing in September 2024.

• 2014

  Globe Pequot Press acquired

  [1]Globe Pequot Publishing Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Rowman & Littlefield acquired Globe Pequot Press, which later supplied the name for the continuing group after the 2024 divestiture.

• 2013

  Rowman & Littlefield International established in London

  [1]Globe Pequot Publishing Groupen.wikipedia.org

  An affiliated but editorially independent London business began publishing academic books in selected humanities and social-science fields.

• 1988

  University Press of America acquisition reshapes the group

  [1]Globe Pequot Publishing Groupen.wikipedia.org

  University Press of America acquired Rowman & Littlefield and adopted the Rowman & Littlefield name for the holding company.

• 1949

  Publishing organization founded

  [1]Globe Pequot Publishing Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The company traces its origins to 1949 as an American independent publishing business.

An independent, multi-imprint publisher with a strong emphasis on trade, regional, outdoor, travel, and special-interest books, following the divestiture of much of its former academic, professional, school-publishing, and distribution portfolio.

• Trade publishing

  Globe Pequot trade books

  The retained core of the group is a trade-publishing program associated with regional, travel, outdoor, lifestyle, and other special-interest books. The list is aimed primarily at general readers and enthusiasts rather than exclusively at academic or professional institutions.

• Academic and professional publishing

  Rowman & Littlefield academic and professional publishing

  This was a major former business of the wider Rowman & Littlefield organization, publishing scholarly and professional books for academic, institutional, and specialist audiences. It was sold to Bloomsbury Publishing in 2024 and is not part of the continuing Globe Pequot group in the same form.

• Academic publishing · 2013

  Rowman & Littlefield International

  The London-based affiliated operation published academic books in philosophy, politics and international relations, and cultural studies. It was described as editorially independent from the United States-based business.

• School publishing

  Sundance Newbridge

  Sundance Newbridge was the group's school-publishing business. It was separated from the continuing organization and sold to Lerner Publishing in September 2024.

• Book distribution

  National Book Network

  National Book Network was the group's book-distribution business, based in Lanham, Maryland. The company announced that the operation would close and that title distribution would transfer to Simon & Schuster Distribution Services during the second half of 2025.

• Rowman & Littlefield Award in Innovative Teaching

  United States

  The group sponsors an annual award administered by the American Political Science Association. It recognizes innovative approaches that improve the teaching and learning of political science.

  Outcome. The award has continued as a national recognition program for innovation in political science pedagogy.

  Source

• 2024

  Sale of academic and professional publishing businessM&A

  Background

  The former Rowman & Littlefield group operated across academic, professional, trade, school, and distribution categories. The 2024 transaction separated the academic and professional operation from most of the Globe Pequot trade business.

  Action taken

  On May 29, 2024, the academic and professional publishing business was sold to Bloomsbury Publishing. The transaction included the Rowman & Littlefield name and trademark and included Applause Books and Backbeat Books, while most of the Globe Pequot trade business was excluded.

  Aftermath

  The continuing company changed its name to The Globe Pequot Publishing Group and pursued additional portfolio changes.

  Source

• 2024

  Adoption of the Globe Pequot corporate identityStrategy

  Background

  The Rowman & Littlefield name and trademark were included in the sale to Bloomsbury, requiring a new identity for the remaining holding company.

  Action taken

  The holding company adopted The Globe Pequot Publishing Group name, based on the trade imprint retained after the transaction.

  Aftermath

  The new identity signaled a narrower focus on the retained trade-publishing portfolio.

  Source

• 2024

  Sale of Sundance NewbridgeM&A

  Background

  Sundance Newbridge was outside the principal Bloomsbury transaction and remained a separate school-publishing asset.

  Action taken

  The group sold Sundance Newbridge to Lerner Publishing in September 2024.

  Aftermath

  The sale further reduced the continuing group's exposure to school publishing.

  Source

• 2024

  Planned closure of National Book NetworkStrategy

  Background

  National Book Network was a distribution business within the former broader organization.

  Action taken

  The company announced that National Book Network would close and that distribution of its titles would move to Simon & Schuster Distribution Services during the second half of 2025.

  Aftermath

  The planned change was intended to transfer distribution activity away from the group's own National Book Network operation.

  Source

1. 1Globe Pequot Publishing Groupen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Rowman & Littlefield official websiterowman.com