In 1633, the University first appointed Delegates to oversee this privilege. Minute books recording their deliberations date back to1668, and OUP UK as it exists today began to develop in a recognizable form from that time. To this day, the worldwide Press’s activities are overseen by Delegates. In the UK, the Delegates are appointed from the academic staff of Oxford University to "have charge of the affairs of the Press" and to govern it under the University statutes. The Delegates are actively involved in OUP UK’s publishing program, including that all books are referred to them for approval prior to publication and individual Delegates maintain an active dialogue with editors in their specialist subject areas. The operations of OUP UK are overseen by a board that includes the Vice Chancellor of the University and other University administrators, as well as a number of Delegates and officers of the Press. The University established its right to print the King James Authorized Version of the Bible in the seventeenth century. This Bible Privilege formed the basis of a successful publishing business throughout the next two centuries and was the spur of OUP’s expansion. A Bible warehouse was set up in London, which later grew into a major publisher of books with educational and cultural content aimed at the general reader. Then, OUP began to expand internationally, starting with the opening of an American office in 1896.

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