How to identify a first printing
- 1965–c.1985: No explicit first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted, so a first printing is consistent with matching title/copyright dates and no later-impression line.
- c.1985–2019: Number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; a '1' present indicates a first printing); standard CIP/ISBN block. Switchgrass Books, its regional Illinois trade/fiction imprint, follows the same number-line convention.
- From 2019: the press became an imprint of Cornell University Press ('NIU Press'); titles issued under that arrangement follow Cornell's number-line conventions. Pre-2019 titles are the independent press's own editions.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1965 (first book published 1967); lists in Slavic/Russian and East European studies, Orthodox Christian studies, Southeast Asian studies, US and European history, and Illinois regional titles.
- Became an imprint of Cornell University Press on July 1, 2019, and continues under that arrangement; pre-2019 titles are the independent press's own editions.
- Switchgrass Books was its regional/literary trade imprint.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Switchgrass Books, Three Hundred Years of War (series). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Northern Illinois University Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1965–c.1985: No explicit first-printing statement on scholarly first editions; later printings/impressions noted, so a first printing is consistent with matching title/copyright dates and no later-impression line. c.1985–2019: Number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; a '1' present indicates a first printing); standard CIP/ISBN block. Switchgrass Books, its regional Illinois trade/fiction imprint, follows the same number-line convention.
Does Northern Illinois University Press use a number line?
c.1985–2019: Number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; a '1' present indicates a first printing); standard CIP/ISBN block. Switchgrass Books, its regional Illinois trade/fiction imprint, follows the same number-line convention.
Is a book-club edition a Northern Illinois University Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1965 (first book published 1967); lists in Slavic/Russian and East European studies, Orthodox Christian studies, Southeast Asian studies, US and European history, and Illinois regional titles.
What era does this cover?
This covers Northern Illinois University Press (1965–2019 (independent); imprint of Cornell University Press thereafter). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.