How to identify a first printing
- Origins as Consultants Bureau (Earl M. Coleman), which began publishing English translations of Soviet scientific journals around 1949; the 'Plenum' name was adopted in 1965. Early scientific/technical monographs and serials generally carry NO explicit first-printing statement, so a first printing is inferred from the absence of any later-printing notice; translation and serial volumes are identified by volume number and year rather than edition points.
- Mid-1980s onward: a number line where present (lowest digit indicating the printing) and an explicit edition statement on revised works.
- 1998 onward: Plenum Publishing was acquired by Wolters Kluwer and operated as Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers; the academic line then passed to Springer (Springer Science+Business Media) around 2004, with later printings carrying Kluwer or Springer imprints and house styles.
Notable points & cautions
- Major Cold War-era conduit for English translations of Soviet science through its Consultants Bureau operation.
- The standalone 'Plenum Press' imprint name dates from 1965; the line was absorbed into Kluwer Academic (1998) and then Springer (c.2004).
- Scientific monographs and serials are tracked by volume number and year rather than by issue points.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Plenum Press, Plenum Publishing Corporation, Consultants Bureau, Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers (post-1998 merger), Springer (successor, post-2004). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Plenum Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. Origins as Consultants Bureau (Earl M. Coleman), which began publishing English translations of Soviet scientific journals around 1949; the 'Plenum' name was adopted in 1965. Early scientific/technical monographs and serials generally carry NO explicit first-printing statement, so a first printing is inferred from the absence of any later-printing notice; translation and serial volumes are identified by volume number and year rather than edition points. Mid-1980s onward: a number line where present (lowest digit indicating the printing) and an explicit edition statement on revised works.
Does Plenum Press use a number line?
Mid-1980s onward: a number line where present (lowest digit indicating the printing) and an explicit edition statement on revised works.
Is a book-club edition a Plenum Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Major Cold War-era conduit for English translations of Soviet science through its Consultants Bureau operation.
What era does this cover?
This covers Plenum Press (Consultants Bureau from 1949; 'Plenum Press' name from 1965; independent through c.1998-2004). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.