How to identify a first printing
- 1928-1980s (early/scholarly era): Scholarly monographs and journals; first printings typically carry no number line — identify by the copyright year and the absence of any later-printing or revised-edition statement. University-press first printings of this era are frequently the only printing.
- 1980s-present (modern trade/regional era): Trade and regional titles use a descending number line; the lowest digit indicates the printing (for example '5 4 3 2 1' is a first printing). 'First printing' is sometimes stated. As with most university presses, many titles see only a single printing, so a matching copyright and publication year usually indicates a first.
Notable points & cautions
- Established in 1928 under WSU (then Washington State College) President Ernest O. Holland; its first scholarly journal, Research Studies, appeared in 1929. By the mid-2020s the press had issued more than 260 titles and averages about eight new titles a year.
- Henry Grosshans served as press editor from the 1950s until his retirement in 1982 and raised the press's profile, helping attract and establish scholarly journals associated with it, including Poe Studies and ESQ: A Journal of the American Renaissance.
- Focus on the American West and Pacific Northwest history, environment, politics, and culture; print runs are small, so condition and scarcity drive collectibility more than printing state.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: WSU Press, Washington State University Press. Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Washington State University Press book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. 1928-1980s (early/scholarly era): Scholarly monographs and journals; first printings typically carry no number line — identify by the copyright year and the absence of any later-printing or revised-edition statement. University-press first printings of this era are frequently the only printing. 1980s-present (modern trade/regional era): Trade and regional titles use a descending number line; the lowest digit indicates the printing (for example '5 4 3 2 1' is a first printing). 'First printing' is sometimes stated. As with most university presses, many titles see only a single printing, so a matching copyright and publication year usually indicates a first.
Does Washington State University Press use a number line?
1980s-present (modern trade/regional era): Trade and regional titles use a descending number line; the lowest digit indicates the printing (for example '5 4 3 2 1' is a first printing). 'First printing' is sometimes stated. As with most university presses, many titles see only a single printing, so a matching copyright and publication year usually indicates a first.
Is a book-club edition a Washington State University Press first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Established in 1928 under WSU (then Washington State College) President Ernest O. Holland; its first scholarly journal, Research Studies, appeared in 1929. By the mid-2020s the press had issued more than 260 titles and averages about eight new titles a year.
What era does this cover?
This covers Washington State University Press (1928-present). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.