How to identify a first printing
- 1861-present: government documents do NOT follow trade first-edition conventions. There is generally no printer's-key number line and no trade 'First edition' statement. Identify and date a document by its issuing agency, series, and year, and by the SuDoc (Superintendent of Documents) classification number, which is provenance-based (arranged by issuing agency) rather than subject-based.
- Editions/printings of a recurring title (reports, regulations) are distinguished by the printing year and any 'edition' or 'revised' note on the title page or cover, plus the GPO printing identifier sometimes printed at the foot of a page.
- Congressional documents are identified by Congress number, session, and document/report number rather than by a printing key.
- For collectible government items (early NASA, USGS, exploration, and war reports), the first issue is established bibliographically by year, agency, and document number; later reprintings carry a later year or a revised-edition note.
Notable points & cautions
- The SuDoc number is the canonical identifier, arranged by issuing agency (provenance-based classification developed c.1895).
- No trade number line; rely on agency + series + year + document number.
- The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP) is the bibliographic finding tool of record.
- Reprints and revised editions are common for regulatory and recurring titles — check the year and any 'revised' statement.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: U.S. Government Printing/Publishing Office, Superintendent of Documents. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my United States Government Publishing Office (GPO, formerly Government Printing Office) book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1861-present: government documents do NOT follow trade first-edition conventions. There is generally no printer's-key number line and no trade 'First edition' statement. Identify and date a document by its issuing agency, series, and year, and by the SuDoc (Superintendent of Documents) classification number, which is provenance-based (arranged by issuing agency) rather than subject-based. Editions/printings of a recurring title (reports, regulations) are distinguished by the printing year and any 'edition' or 'revised' note on the title page or cover, plus the GPO printing identifier sometimes printed at the foot of a page.
Does United States Government Publishing Office (GPO, formerly Government Printing Office) use a number line?
Editions/printings of a recurring title (reports, regulations) are distinguished by the printing year and any 'edition' or 'revised' note on the title page or cover, plus the GPO printing identifier sometimes printed at the foot of a page.
Is a book-club edition a United States Government Publishing Office (GPO, formerly Government Printing Office) first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. The SuDoc number is the canonical identifier, arranged by issuing agency (provenance-based classification developed c.1895).
What era does this cover?
This covers United States Government Publishing Office (GPO, formerly Government Printing Office) (1861-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.