Have you ever been stumped by an abbreviation in an eBay Book listing and had nowhere to turn?? What does BCE mean!?? What in the world is an ARC?!! Print out this handy guide if you like-it should clear some things up for you!

1st ed.: First Edition (the first printing of a book, later editions are printed if the books popularity warrants them and the later printings are generally not as valuable as the First Edition).

Adv. :  Adventure Book

ARC: Advanced Reader Copy, a paperback published pre first edition for publicity-some collectors value these highly as they sometimes contain mistakes and also are not printed in large runs

Association Copy: An inscribed book from the author to a famous person or a copy which has been owned (usually autographed) by a famous person (not necessarily the author of the book).

Auto:  Autographed

BC: Back Cover

BcEd:  Bookclub Edition

BCE:  Bookclub Edition, published by a book club, usually smaller in size than trade edition, some bookclubs produce cheap versions, other bookclubs are highly sought out for their quality such as Easton and Franklin press editions.

BKLT:  Booklet

BMC:  Book of the Month edition

Boards: the stiff front and back cover of the Hardback book

BOMC:  Book of the Month Club edition

Brodart: Protective Book Cover (the plastic type as seen on library books-removable or not, ask the buyer if it has been glued on or not)

Chapbook: A small book-about the size of a pamphlet

CTB: Coffee Table Book

EXLIB: Ex-Library copy, will have various ink stamps/stickers and library markings on the book put there by the library and usually not removable, particulary on end pages.

E-Book or eBook: Electronic Delivery Book (this is sent to your e-mail acct. and you can download and print; or a link is sent to you so you can download from a website and then print it.)

F : Fair or Fine (Always ask the buyer-this is a big difference!).

FLB :  Former Library Book

Flyleaf: Also called "free endpaper". This is the first loose leaf page of a book, usually colorful.

First Printing: Also referred to as "First Edition". The most desirable among collectors (the number of books printed originally)-when a popular book is reprinted a second, third, etc. time, these later editions are not usually worth as much as a first.

First Edition Thus: Can be a collection of stories gathered for the first time in book form; a book that is reissued with perhaps different cover art; a retitled book by the original publisher or a new one.

Fore-edge: The front of the book where it opens

Foxing or Foxed: Age spots, usually light tan to brown that occurs in old books due to deterioration of the paper, can also be large and uniform browning of the page.

G: Good Condition

Half-Title: The page usually before the title page, it has only the Title of the book printed on it.

Headband: A small strip of cloth that reinforces the top of the spine.

Hinge: Also referred to as the "gutter", its where the book binding meets with the flyleaf.

Hinged: The books hinge is loose or broken-the book is not "tight"

HB:  Hardback

HC: Hardcover

HCDJ: Hardcover with Dust Jacket

HTF: Hard to Find

IBC: Inside Back Cover

IFC: Inside Front Cover

Leaves: Pages of a book

LP: Large Print

ND: No Date

NM: Near Mint

Number Line: This is one way to tell the edition of the book. Usually on the copyright page, "1234567" not necessarily in numerical order, but the lowest number listed indicates the edition. So, if it reads "2456891" it is a first edition since the number "1" is listed.

OOP: Out Of Print

PB: Paperback

Paste-Down: The paper that is glued to the inside of the front and back covers.

Price clip: This is when the inside DJ cover has the price cut off-usually a "dog ear" or diagonal cut at the top of the inside DJ.

RC: Reader's Copy (pre publication book given to editors to make final changes-desirable and rare).

Remainder: A book that wasn't sold and was returned to the publisher-has a marking on the page edges usually a black marker swipe or the front cover may have been removed.

Rev. Ed: Revised Edition

Rolled: The spine is not square, the book is not square-rather, it leans toward one side or the other is stood on a shelf.

SC: Slight Crease

SC: Soft Cover (see above, ask the buyer what it indicates in the listing)

SF: Science Fiction

Sci Fi: Science Fiction

Sig: Signature

Spine: The back edge of a book, what you see when it sits on a shelf.

Sticker Pull: A discolored spot where the price sticker was pulled off of the book

Sunning: A fading and/or discoloration from exposure to sunlight-usually seen on the spine as this edge is exposed when the book is on a shelf.

T.E. : Trade Edition (larger than normal size PB or smaller than usual HB)

Trade Paperback: A large sized paperback book-common in todays Literary Fiction paperbacks

VF: Very Fine

VG or VGC: Very Good Condition

VHTF: Very Hard to Find

Warping: The book is not tight and square; could have been exposed to dampness, sun or handling.

WOB: Writing on Back

WOF: Writing on Front

Happy Book Hunting!! :)

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