How to identify a first printing
- Early scholarly titles (1960s-c.1980): No explicit first-printing statement, in keeping with academic-press practice; later printings or impressions are noted on the copyright page. A first printing is inferred from no later-printing notation, with the title-page date matching the copyright date.
- c.1980-present: A number line on the copyright page, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a full line ending in '...4 3 2 1' with '1' present = first printing). A Library of Congress CIP block is present from the mid-to-late 1970s onward.
- Trade titles under the Swallow Press imprint follow the Swallow Press number-line convention from the 1980s on.
Notable points & cautions
- Scholarly and regional university press; incorporated in 1947 and formally organized in 1964 by Ohio University president Vernon Alden. It is the oldest and largest scholarly press in Ohio.
- Strong lists in African studies, Appalachian/Ohio and Midwest regional history, and Southeast Asia.
- The trade arm is the Swallow Press imprint: a licensing agreement began in 1979, and OUP formally acquired the imprint and its 276-title back catalog in 2008.
- As with most university presses, the absence of a number line on a pre-1980 title does not by itself prove a first printing — confirm that no later-impression statement is present.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Swallow Press, Swallow Press/Ohio University Press. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Ohio University Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Early scholarly titles (1960s-c.1980): No explicit first-printing statement, in keeping with academic-press practice; later printings or impressions are noted on the copyright page. A first printing is inferred from no later-printing notation, with the title-page date matching the copyright date. c.1980-present: A number line on the copyright page, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a full line ending in '...4 3 2 1' with '1' present = first printing). A Library of Congress CIP block is present from the mid-to-late 1970s onward.
Does Ohio University Press use a number line?
c.1980-present: A number line on the copyright page, where the lowest digit present indicates the printing (a full line ending in '...4 3 2 1' with '1' present = first printing). A Library of Congress CIP block is present from the mid-to-late 1970s onward.
Is a book-club edition a Ohio University Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Scholarly and regional university press; incorporated in 1947 and formally organized in 1964 by Ohio University president Vernon Alden. It is the oldest and largest scholarly press in Ohio.
What era does this cover?
This covers Ohio University Press (Incorporated 1947, formally organized 1964; active to present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.