The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group has acquired North Country Books, Utica, N.Y., which was founded in 1965 and has a focus on the Adirondacks and Upstate New York histories, folklore, biographies, children's, photography and mysteries. It has published more than 200 titles and also distributes books and related products in New York State and northern New England.
Rowman & Littlefield's National Book Network is beginning distribution of the books published by North Country Books. The Adirondack titles will also be available through Blue Line Book Exchange, Lake Placid, N.Y., which took on much of the distribution side of North Country Books last year. Jake Bonar, acquisitions editor at Rowman & Littlefield's Prometheus imprint, will now also oversee the program for North Country Books.
Rob Igoe, Jr. has fully owned North Country Books since 2005 and is successor to his father, Rob Igoe, Sr., who bought an ownership share in 1977. Igoe said he was happy about the sale, adding, "Rowman & Littlefield will continue to publish new titles and reprint older titles under the North Country Books name. They will look to expand their offering of quality books about Upstate New York State."
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group president and CEO Jed Lyons said: "We are delighted to build on the extraordinary history of the North Country Books list. Rowman & Littlefield's Globe Pequot division is the largest independent publisher of regional books in the country. With this acquisition, we look forward to publishing more books for and about the Adirondacks and the Upstate New York region."