How can I find out when a book was printed?

Question: How can I find out when a book was printed!?

Is there any way to find out when a particular book was printed!? Is there a way to look this up using the ISBN or something!?

In example, how can you find out if a book that you have was printed before the same book in a library or on a bookshelf!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

It should have publication date on the inside of the book!. I'll use an example here:

"First published in 1997
This edition published in 2000"

That would mean there are other books out there (possibly in libraries or other bookshelves as you asked) that were printed before the edition you have!.

However, if the book says:

"This edition published in 1997"

or

"First published in 1997"

That would mean that this is the first printed edition, therefore no other editions have been printed before the one you have!.

There's also another way to find out if the book you have is a first edition!. Somewhere on the publication page (and this is only in some books, not all) there is a printing number!. First edition books will have the number 1 in there somewhere (example: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, whereas a second edition would have 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2)

And then there are books that plainly have First Edition printed on the publication page!.

Of course, there are always going to be exceptions and older books can be harder to find out the publication date!.

I hope some of this is helpful! I work as a bookseller and antiquarian so if that wasn't helpful just ask away and I'll see what I can do :)Www@QuestionHome@Com