How to identify a first printing
- 1971-c.1995: established 1971 in association with KU Leuven; titles in Dutch, English, French and German. Continental convention: the verso carries '© [year] Leuven University Press / Universitaire Pers Leuven' with a Belgian legal-deposit ('dépôt légal') code beginning 'D/[year]/...'. A first printing is keyed by the legal-deposit year together with the absence of any 'Tweede druk' or reprint note; Dutch 'Eerste druk' marks the first impression.
- c.1995-present: '© [year] Leuven University Press' plus a full ISBN block and the Belgian D/ legal-deposit number; later printings or editions are stated explicitly ('Tweede druk' / 'Second edition'). The legal-deposit year with a clean first-impression statement indicates the first printing.
- Language tell: Dutch 'druk' = impression/printing ('Eerste druk' first, 'Tweede druk' second); French 'édition'; German 'Auflage' — the lowest/first of these indicates the first printing.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1971 in association with KU Leuven (Universitaire Pers Leuven); a full member of the Association of University Presses and a founding member of the Association of European University Presses.
- The Belgian 'dépôt légal' code 'D/YYYY/...' on the verso, assigned by the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR), is a precise dating tell unique to Belgian imprints.
- Must not be confused with the Presses Universitaires de Louvain at UCLouvain (Louvain-la-Neuve), a separate francophone press after the 1968 university split.
- Now distributed in North America via Cornell University Press; strong in theology, philosophy and art history.
- Multilingual: the same title may carry Dutch, English or French first-edition wording — match the language to the issue.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Leuven University Press, Universitaire Pers Leuven (Dutch), Presses Universitaires de Louvain (do NOT confuse — separate Louvain-la-Neuve press). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Leuven University Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1971-c.1995: established 1971 in association with KU Leuven; titles in Dutch, English, French and German. Continental convention: the verso carries '© [year] Leuven University Press / Universitaire Pers Leuven' with a Belgian legal-deposit ('dépôt légal') code beginning 'D/[year]/...'. A first printing is keyed by the legal-deposit year together with the absence of any 'Tweede druk' or reprint note; Dutch 'Eerste druk' marks the first impression. c.1995-present: '© [year] Leuven University Press' plus a full ISBN block and the Belgian D/ legal-deposit number; later printings or editions are stated explicitly ('Tweede druk' / 'Second edition'). The legal-deposit year with a clean first-impression statement indicates the first printing.
Does Leuven University Press use a number line?
c.1995-present: '© [year] Leuven University Press' plus a full ISBN block and the Belgian D/ legal-deposit number; later printings or editions are stated explicitly ('Tweede druk' / 'Second edition'). The legal-deposit year with a clean first-impression statement indicates the first printing.
Is a book-club edition a Leuven University Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1971 in association with KU Leuven (Universitaire Pers Leuven); a full member of the Association of University Presses and a founding member of the Association of European University Presses.
What era does this cover?
This covers Leuven University Press (1971-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.