How to identify a first printing
- 1956–c.1975: 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.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; a '1' present indicates a first printing); standard CIP/ISBN block.
- Shawnee Classics (regional Illinois reprint series): a Shawnee Classics edition is a REPRINT with its own series page, not the original first edition. Crab Orchard Series in Poetry (began 1998): prize and first-printing poetry volumes; check the number line to confirm a first printing.
Notable points & cautions
- Founded by SIU president Delyte Morris in the mid-1950s; first book published October 20, 1956. Major lists in rhetoric/composition, First Amendment and theatre studies, and Illinois/Midwest regional studies; publisher of 'The Collected Works of John Dewey' and 'The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant'.
- Shawnee Classics revives out-of-print Illinois titles; the Crab Orchard Series in Poetry (begun 1998) produces award-winning first printings.
- One of several Illinois university presses, so verify the imprint against the University of Illinois Press and Northern Illinois University Press.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Shawnee Classics (regional reprint series), Crab Orchard Series in Poetry. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Southern Illinois University Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1956–c.1975: 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.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; a '1' present indicates a first printing); standard CIP/ISBN block.
Does Southern Illinois University Press use a number line?
c.1975–present: Number line on the copyright page (lowest number present indicates the printing; a '1' present indicates a first printing); standard CIP/ISBN block.
Is a book-club edition a Southern Illinois University Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Founded by SIU president Delyte Morris in the mid-1950s; first book published October 20, 1956. Major lists in rhetoric/composition, First Amendment and theatre studies, and Illinois/Midwest regional studies; publisher of 'The Collected Works of John Dewey' and 'The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant'.
What era does this cover?
This covers Southern Illinois University Press (1956–present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.