Swallow Press

The Swallow Press, begun in the early 1940s in Denver by Alan Swallow, was a significant force in the world of small press publishing. By issuing the works of authors such as Frank Waters, Janet Lewis, J.V. Cunningham, and Anais Nin, Swallow built a one-person operation that became known for publishing material that was often ignored or rejected by larger publishing houses, but had literary merit. Following Swallow's death in 1966, the firm ws bought by four business partners and the operation was transferred to Chicago. The Chicago years of the Swallow Press were initially successful. However, as financial difficulties became widespread in the publishing industry, small presses like Swallow were greatly affected. As a result, in 1979, Swallow Press entered a unique 100-year licensing agreement with Ohio University Press. Under this arrangement, the Swallow Press was retained as an imprint and was allowed to develop many of its own programs. However, the press received its financial suport from the whole organization. Thus, through its association with Ohio University Press, the Swallow Press continues to publish works that are of high quality for which there may be little financial gain.