Frequently Asked Questions

1. I have a question but don't want to negotiate your website and am too lazy to scroll through the FAQs to see if the answer is here. Give me a quick fix.

Feel free to call us at 301-459-3366. We work normal office hours Monday through Friday, Eastern time.

2. Who are you guys anyway?

AltaMira Press is a publisher of professional and academic books, journals, and software in the humanities and human sciences. We also publish the occasional book for a mass audience. Founded in 1995, we are part of the Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. We have almost 350 books in print, in museum studies, local & public history, anthropology, archaeology, religion, ethnic studies, gender studies, cultural studies, environmental studies, and other topics. If you want the whole story, click here.

3. I thought you were part of Sage Publications?

Rowman & Littlefield purchased AltaMira from Sage in August 1999. We have no links with Sage Publications (except a few old friends) any longer.

4. How do I order a book?

You have lots of choices. If you know what you want, click on the search screen on this site, call the book up, and order with a credit card off our secure server. If you just want to browse, then you can search by author, title, ISBN, series, keywords, or subject area. If you're uncomfortable ordering off the web, you can order our products from the warehouse in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, toll free by phone (1-800-462-6420), fax (1-800-338-4550), or mail (15200 NBN Way, Blue Ridge Summit, PA 172140). Sorry, the U.S. mail isn't toll free. Most of our books are also available from amazon.com or similar on-line book vendors. If you're ordering from outside the United States, see #8 below.

5. Can I find your books in bookstores?

That's not always the case. As academic/professional publishers, we usually sell directly to our U.S. customers, rather than through your local bookstore. Some large book superstores will carry some of our titles, as will many university bookstores or specialized stores. It's a spotty system. Much more secure to order directly from us (see #4 above).

6. How long does it take to ship and how much does it cost?

In the US, we usually ship via UPS or RPS at a cost of $4 for the first item and $1 for each additional one. If you want to have your material shipped some other way, please let us know when you place your order. We can also overnight your order to you at an additional cost. If you are outside the United States, the cost is a bit higher depending on where you are and the shipping method you prefer. U.S. postage is included in the pricing for our journals, but not for subscribers outside the U.S.

7. Do I have to pay sales tax?

We have to pay sales tax (and therefore will charge you) for any state in which we have an office. So you need to include sales tax in your order if you're ordering from Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, or New York. Please add the appropriate tax when you place the order. We also need to charge you GST if we ship your order to Canada. Shipments to any other states are not charged taxes.

8. What if I am ordering from outside the United States?

We have distributors in Canada, the UK, Australia, Japan, and arrangements elsewhere around the globe. Click here for a complete list. If you're in doubt, please order through our US address and we'll forward it to the right place.

9. I am interested in looking at your books for college courses. How do I know what you have?

Look at the Books for Courses screen on this website. It is organized by course and will give you a complete listing of what we have that might be appropriate for your classes.

10. I found one that is potentially interesting. Can I get a free copy to examine?

Most of our books are not exclusively designed as textbooks, so we prefer to sell them than give them away. But we want to allow instructors to examine our books for course use. So here's how we solved this problem. We will send you up to 3 paperback books for free for up to 60 days when you request them as examination copies. The books will come with a bill. If you adopt the book and ask the bookstore to order 10 or more copies, we cancel the bill once you notify us. Otherwise, you have to pay the invoice or send it back.

11. What if I have already decided to adopt one of your books? Do I get a desk copy?

If you have already adopted the book, placed the order with the bookstore, and not yet received a desk copy from us, please let us know that on your university letterhead, include the name, number, semester and enrollment of the course, and we'll send you a complimentary copy.

12. I'm trying to order as a bookstore or book wholesaler. What discounts are we entitled to?

Our discount policies are set by our parent company, Rowman & Littlefield, and quantities can be combined with other Rowman & Littlefield products. You will need to set up an account with them for your first order. Contact customer service for more information.

13. I ordered from you a while ago but it hasn't come yet. How do I find out if you received the order and when it was shipped?

Shipping usually takes 2-4 weeks. If it's beyond that period of time, contact our customer service operation at 1-800-462-6420, FAX 1-800-338-4550, or email at custserv@rowman.com. Be prepared to give the billing zip code on your order and your purchase order number, if there is one.

14. Can I return something I ordered?

Our returns policies are also set by Rowman & Littlefield, and are described here.

15. AltaMira, schmaltamira. I'm interested in museum software called PastPerfect. Have I come to the wrong place?

Yes. PastPerfect is now distributed by Pastime Software Company, http://www.museumsoftware.com/.

16. I have purchased VisitMaker or PastPerfect but need some technical assistance. Who do I call?

For PastPerfect, please contact the technical support department of Pastime Software Company, http://www.museumsoftware.com. VisitMaker is no longer distributed or supported.

17. I'm trying to order books from the American Association for State and Local History but was sent here. What's the connection?

AltaMira has been the publishing partner for AASLH since 1995. We publish books and software for them and handle all publishing functions on these products, like marketing, distribution, and permissions requests. AASLH still publishes its own magazine, HISTORY NEWS, its technical leaflets, and several other things, as well as running many important programs for state and local historians. AASLH members get a 20% discount on most AltaMira products.

18. How about ordering a subscription to one of your journals?

Try our subscription department: 800-272-2223, FAX 800-338-4550, journals@rowman.com. Or you may order online, using our secure shopping cart, by selecting the journal of your choice, clicking on the Subscribe page, and selecting the appropriate subscription type. Price information on our journals are available here.

19. And if I want to submit an article, or send a book for review?

Journal editor contact information is located on the respective Web pages for each of our journals.

20. How about back issues? How do I know what is in them?

Again, look at the journals pages on our Web site. Contents to all of our journals are listed there under Back Issues. You can order single copies or a subscription. Prices will vary depending on whether the order is from an individual or an institution.

21. Are your journals available electronically?

Not yet, but soon. We're negotiating several possible options.

22. Journal advertising?

Try our Advertising Manager at 301-459-3366 x5651, fax 301-429-5748, info@altamirapress.com. She can send you a rate card and answer any questions.

23. AltaMira Press, Rowman & Littlefield, University Press of America, National Book Network? Are you all the same company?

We are all part of the Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group (RLPG), based in Lanham, Maryland. AltaMira is a division of the group's main academic company, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Our siblings include University Press of America, Scarecrow Press, Lexington Books, and several other imprints. RLPG also has a number of trade imprints, like Taylor Trade and Ivan R. Dee, and also owns the second largest distributor for independent publishers, National Book Network and NBN International in the UK. Books of all RLPG publishers can be ordered from the distribution center in Blue Ridge Summit, PA (see question #2 above).

24. I have a great idea for a book. Where do I submit it?

We'd love to hear about what you're writing, if it is professional or academic material in the fields in which we publish. Please send your idea to the attention of our Editorial Offices or the appropriate editor listed on our Fields We Publish In pages. We will want you to prepare a book proposal for us. A list of other editorial personnel at AltaMira is also available. Even if you're not sure it's for us, please send it along and we might be able to suggest a more appropriate home—often elsewhere in the RLPG group of publishers.

25. Do you use scholars and professionals as manuscript reviewers?

All the time. If you're interested in reviewing things for us, please contact the editor for the appropriate discipline with some indication of your qualifications and interests. No, you don't need to be the world's leading expert on your subject; we often look for feedback from potential users as well as from experts. Usually we will pay you off in free books rather than cash.

26. I would like to request permission to reprint some material controlled by you. Where do I send the request?

The request needs to be in writing and needs to be sent to the Rights and Permissions Manager of the Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Patricia Zline. She can be reached at 301-459-3366 x5420, FAX 301 429-5748, or pzline@rowman.com.

27. I'm mad as hell at you and won't take it any more. With whom do I talk to fix the problem?

Contact our Editorial Offices. We can often solve long-standing frustrations in an instant. And we want to. Doesn't matter whether you're mad or not, we would like your feedback on how we're doing.

28. I'm preparing a manuscript for you. Tell me your specs for preparation, for reference style, for artwork, etc.

We don't have one single house reference style and preparation specifications vary depending on the book. Contact the appropriate AltaMira staff member for more details.

29. I sweated blood writing *@%*!(@ book for you. Don't I get a discount?

Authors and chapter authors of AltaMira books are entitled to a 50% discount on the book to which they have contributed. Order as you would normally, see #4 above, and indicate you are the author/contributor of the book.