Distribution

Print Books

Our print books are printed on demand by KDP, which means they are printed when they are ordered. They are then made available via Amazon and its subsidiaries, and eventually populate secondary websites such as Bookshop.org.

Bookshop Distribution

The distribution network that bookstores are plugged in to is very different from online stores, as they are not really tailored to on-demand production pipelines. Since 2024, our print books are distributed to US bookshops via Asterism Books. If bookshops are interested in stocking our publications, it is most convenient to reach out directly through them. Their ordering and inventory system is world-class.

An increasing number of bookstores stocks punctum books. You can check the map here.

Expanded Distribution

KDP also allows us to distribute through so-called "expanded distribution" via, for example, Ingram, which in turn is plugged into various print book distribution systems. The eligibility for expanded distribution depends on the format of the book (our regular 5 x 8 in. size is in principle eligible), but also on the contents of the book. Whether or not a book is eventually taken up by Ingram is their prerogative and we have unfortunately no direct influence on that decision.

PDF Ebooks

Our PDF ebooks and associated metadata records are distributed to all major repositories and indexes via Thoth Open Metadata, including OAPEN, DOAB, Internet Archive, JSTOR, Project MUSE, Google Books, Proquest Ebook Central, EBSCO Host, Clarivate Web of Science Book Citation Index, Jisc NBK, EBSCOHost KB, and OCLC KB. Note that not all platforms may accept all types of ebooks.

It usually takes a a couple of months from publication before ebooks are fully ingested into these platforms, much of the labor is still – believe it or not – manual.