The future of the ISU Press is no longer in question.

After months of speculation that the university publishing company might be sold, ISU Press announced at a Monday news conference that it will merge with British company Blackwell Science Inc. to create an expanded printing facility.

Al Austin, president of the ISU Press Board of Directors, said Blackwell Science is a great match for ISU Press because it will allow the company to stay in Ames, update its technologies and aid in maintaining its international reputation.

“Blackwell Science, we believe, is a perfect partner for us to take us to the next level,” Austin said.

Blackwell Science, an international scientific and technical publishing company with its headquarters in Oxford, England, has worked with the ISU Press for several years in areas such as veterinary and agricultural publishing.

Richard Miles, senior publisher for Blackwell Science, said he predicts a prosperous future for the press, including the possibility of setting up electronic journals and other digital publications.

“We’ve done the pioneer work for it, and when it happens, we’ll be ready for it,” Miles said.

With the merger, ISU Press will no longer have a faculty board of directors or be a nonprofit company, Austin said.

An endowment for more than $2 million dollars will be established from payments made by Blackwell Science to support new academic publications at Iowa State.

Warren Madden, vice president for Business and Finance, said the details of the endowment fund are still being worked out between the ISU Press Board of Directors and the Provost Office, but he anticipates the endowment will have a positive effect on the university.

“We may end up with more [faculty books] with merit being supported,” Madden said.

Under current university guidelines, 5 percent of the $2 million endowment fund, or $100,000, would be available to be spent each year for scholarly publications, Madden said.

Madden also said he expects the agreement between the ISU Press and Iowa State to accommodate publishing needs in the future.

Brenda O’Neall Smith, ISU Press operations director, said when the future of the company was in doubt this past year, there was considerable stress on employees.

Smith said employees are excited about the merger.

“I think uncertainty was there,” she said. “It was a rough time for [employees].”

Austin said the ISU Press Board of Directors was concerned with keeping the company in Ames and protecting its 24 employees.

“Closing the doors of the Press was never entirely considered,” Austin said. “We think [the merger is] good for Ames, Iowa State and the state of Iowa.”

The ISU Press, 2121 State St., was established in 1934 and publishes academic books as well as books about Iowa history. About 45 books a year are published, including books written by ISU faculty members.