The University Press of Kansas largely publishes works that explore American politics (including the presidency, American political thought, and public policy), military history, American history (especially political, cultural, intellectual, and western), environmental policy, American studies, film studies, law and legal history, Indigenous studies, Kansas, and the Midwest. The press's specialty areas were cultivated in 1981, when then-director Fred Woodward noticed that, aside from a successful series on the US presidents, the press had published few works about political science. Woodward subsequently decided to focus on building a list of publications that explored the politics of the United States. In 2021, leadership of the press was incorporated into the responsibilities of the dean of the
University of Kansas Libraries, a position then held by Kevin Smith. In 2022, Mike Haddock, the associate dean for research, education and engagement at
K-State Libraries, was appointed interim director of the press following Smith's departure from KU Libraries. ==Kansas Open Books initiative==