Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: A Legacy of Medical Publishing
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a premier American imprint specializing in the publication of high-quality scientific, technical, and medical content. As part of the global publishing conglomerate Wolters Kluwer, LWW serves as a critical resource for the healthcare community, providing essential knowledge to physicians, nurses, clinicians, and students worldwide.
Operating through the Health Division of Wolters Kluwer, LWW produces a vast array of professional materials, including comprehensive textbooks, reference works, and more than 275 scientific journals, the majority of which focus on medicine and public health.
ไม่มีภาพประกอบKey Facts
- Parent Company: Wolters Kluwer
- Founded: 1998 (through merger)
- Headquarters: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
- Core Focus: Medicine and public health
- Output: Books, reference works, and 275+ scientific journals
- Target Audience: Healthcare professionals and medical students
The Evolution of LWW
The history of LWW is a story of strategic consolidation and growth, tracing its roots back to a modest Philadelphia bookstall opened in 1792 by Benjamin Warner and Jacob Johnson. By 1836, Joshua Ballinger Lippincott took control of the firm, which eventually became the J.B. Lippincott Company, a mainstay of the publishing industry throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
The Shift to Healthcare Specialization
A pivotal change occurred in 1978 when the J.B. Lippincott Company was sold to Harper & Row. Following this acquisition, the company shifted its focus exclusively to healthcare publishing. In 1990, News Corporation sold the entity to Wolters Kluwer, marking the beginning of a series of mergers that would define the modern LWW brand.
The Path to Consolidation
The formation of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins was the result of several acquisitions by Wolters Kluwer and its predecessors:
- 1986: Wolters Samson acquired Raven Press of New York.
- 1987: Wolters Samson merged with Kluwer.
- 1995: Lippincott was merged with Raven Press to form Lippincott-Raven Publishers.
- 1997-1998: Wolters Kluwer acquired Thomson Science (owner of Current Opinion medical journals) and Plenum, merging their medical publications into Lippincott-Raven.
- 1998: Wolters Kluwer purchased Waverly—the parent company of Williams & Wilkins of Baltimore—and merged it with Lippincott-Raven to officially create Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Further expansions included the 1990 acquisition of Lea & Febiger by Waverly and the 2000 purchase of Springhouse Corporation from Reed Elsevier. By 2002, LWW transitioned from an operating company to a specialized brand within the Wolters Kluwer conglomerate.
ไม่มีภาพประกอบGlobal Presence and Operations
While headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, LWW has maintained a broad operational footprint. In addition to its main hub, the organization has held locations in Baltimore, New York City, Hagerstown, and Ambler. Its international reach extends to major global cities, including London, Hong Kong, and Sydney, with most of these offices continuing to serve under the Wolters Kluwer umbrella.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Origin Country | United States |
| Primary Topics | Medicine, Public Health, Technical Science |
| Publication Types | Books, Journals, Reference Works |
| Official Website | www.lww.com |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lippincott Williams & Wilkins?
LWW is an American medical publishing imprint owned by Wolters Kluwer that produces textbooks, reference materials, and over 275 scientific journals for healthcare professionals and students.
When was LWW officially formed?
The LWW brand was established in 1998 following the merger of Lippincott-Raven and Williams & Wilkins.
Who is the parent company of LWW?
LWW is a brand under the Health Division of the Dutch-American publishing conglomerate Wolters Kluwer.
Where is LWW headquartered?
LWW is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States.
What types of professionals use LWW publications?
Their content is specifically designed for physicians, nurses, clinicians, and medical students.