IU Press publishes approximately 100 new books annually, in addition to 38 academic journals, and maintains a current catalog comprising some 2,000 titles.

IU Press began in 1950 as part of Indiana University's post-war growth under President Herman B Wells.

That same decade, in 1955, it published Rolfe Humphries's translation of the Metamorphoses of Ovid, IU Press's all-time bestseller, having sold more than 500,000 copies to date.

[3] Bernard Perry retired as director in 1976 and was replaced by John Gallman who focused on the academic strengths of Indiana University.

It launched Red Lighting Books, another imprint, that focuses on food and drink, lifestyle, travel, sports, the Midwest, and true crime.