How to identify a first printing
- 1974–c.1990: Early Margolin-era titles often lack a formal 'First Edition' slug; a first printing is shown by a single copyright year, a matching title-page date, and no later-printing statement. Some early titles were author-typeset with minimal copyright data.
- c.1990–present: Number line standard on the copyright page ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Many titles also state 'First edition' or 'First printing'. California Legacy titles carry Santa Clara co-imprint lines that do not affect first-printing status.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1974 by Malcolm Margolin in Berkeley, beginning with his self-typeset 'The East Bay Out'; his landmark title 'The Ohlone Way' appeared in 1978.
- Became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2004 (merger with the Clapperstick Institute); Steve Wasserman became publisher in 2016 after Margolin's retirement at the end of 2015.
- Focus on California natural history, Native California cultures, and California literature; publishes 'News from Native California'.
- Early hand-produced titles can be scarce and lack standard first-edition markers.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Heyday, Great Valley Books, California Legacy (series produced with the California Legacy Project at Santa Clara University), News from Native California (periodical). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Heyday Books (Heyday) book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1974–c.1990: Early Margolin-era titles often lack a formal 'First Edition' slug; a first printing is shown by a single copyright year, a matching title-page date, and no later-printing statement. Some early titles were author-typeset with minimal copyright data. c.1990–present: Number line standard on the copyright page ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Many titles also state 'First edition' or 'First printing'. California Legacy titles carry Santa Clara co-imprint lines that do not affect first-printing status.
Does Heyday Books (Heyday) use a number line?
c.1990–present: Number line standard on the copyright page ('10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1'); the lowest digit present indicates the printing. Many titles also state 'First edition' or 'First printing'. California Legacy titles carry Santa Clara co-imprint lines that do not affect first-printing status.
Is a book-club edition a Heyday Books (Heyday) first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1974 by Malcolm Margolin in Berkeley, beginning with his self-typeset 'The East Bay Out'; his landmark title 'The Ohlone Way' appeared in 1978.
What era does this cover?
This covers Heyday Books (Heyday) (1974-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.