The press was founded in 1985 as the publishing arm of the Institute of Island Studies with the mandate to make scholarly books accessible to a popular audience. In 2000, it was later rebranded as Island Studies Press and expanded to include trade non-fiction and poetry, in addition to academic titles. Island Studies Press publishes books that relate to Island culture, economy, and environment.

My island's the house I sleep in at night
Laurie Brinklow
Published: April 2021
Laurie Brinklow
Published: April 2021

The Chemistry of Innovation: Regis Duffy and the Story of DCL
Mo Duffy Cobb and Lori Mayne
Published: May 1, 2021