The fastest check: Modern firsts carry a full descending number line; a '1' present indicates the first printing.
How to identify a first printing
- Modern firsts carry a full descending number line; a '1' present indicates the first printing.
- First printing has a copyright page without reprint history.
- Mad Creek Books and Trillium follow the same number-line convention.
Decode the printer's key: paste the number line into the number-line decoder, search any title in the First Edition Checker, or run a book through the identifier.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded 1957; not to be confused with Ohio University Press, a separate house in Athens, OH, that holds the Swallow Press imprint.
- Mad Creek Books is the collectible literary imprint (creative nonfiction and memoir), inspired by the regional Trillium imprint.
- Standard academic caveat applies for pre-1980s titles lacking first-printing wording.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Trillium (regional imprint), Mad Creek Books (literary/creative nonfiction imprint). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Ohio State University Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Modern firsts carry a full descending number line; a '1' present indicates the first printing. First printing has a copyright page without reprint history.
Does Ohio State University Press use a number line?
First printing has a copyright page without reprint history.
Is a book-club edition a Ohio State University Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded 1957; not to be confused with Ohio University Press, a separate house in Athens, OH, that holds the Swallow Press imprint.
What era does this cover?
This covers Ohio State University Press (1957-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.