Limited editions in public libraries

I’m a librarian but also a book collector. In some cases, this makes my relationship with books difficult. As a librarian I understand that you must do certain things to books to make them last through many handlings and to be able to track them. As a book collector, I abhor most anything someone would do to a book that would not keep it in pristine condition. Which side wins? Well, I’m still not sure.

However, I’ve started to notice more and more limited edition books from small presses appear in public libraries. In many cases these are $40-$100 books that are signed by the author, sometimes numbered, rarely more than 1000 copies, and sometimes in special bindings. These beautiful collectable books are then mutilated (sorry, I couldn’t find any other word) in order to make them “circulation ready.”

This is a list of limited edition books I’ve found, or seen reference to, in public libraries. I’ve seen many others but didn’t track them at the time. If you know of any, please drop me a line and I’ll be happy to add them to the list.

• Anderson, Kevin J. Godded Persistence. Golden Gryphon Press, 2001.
  One of 4000 autographed copies.
  Formerly in the Aurora (CO) Public Library. (Withdrawn and now in my personal collection.)
• Bloch, Robert. The Lost Bloch volume 1. Subterranean Press, 1999.
  #356 of 724 signed and numbered copies.
  Aurora Public Library: Aurora, CO.
• Baker, Kage. Rude Mechanicals. Subterranean Press, 2007.
  #229 of 1500 signed and numbered copies.
  Formerly in the Southwark Libraries (Withdrawn and now in my personal collection.)
• Brite, Poppy Z. Wrong Things. Subterranean Press, 2001
  #296 of 1500 signed and numbered copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• — Lost Souls (10th Anniversary Edition). Edge Books, 2002.
  #302 of 750 signed copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• — The Devil You Know. Subterranean Press, 2003.
  One copy of an unknown number of signed copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• — The Value of X. Subterranean Press, 2003.
  One copy of an unknown number of signed copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• Campbell, Alan. Lye Street. Subterranean Press, 2008.
  One of an unknown number of signed, unnumbered copies.
  Formerly in the Omaha (NE) Public Library. (Withdrawn and now in my personal collection.)
• Card, Orson Scott. Space Boy. Subterranean Press, 2007.
  One of 2000 signed, unnumbered copies.
  Seward Memorial Library: Seward, NE and Columbus Public Library: Columbus, NE
• Clark, Simon. Darkness Demands. CD Publications, 2001.
  #801 of 1000 signed and numbered copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• Clegg, Douglas. Mischief. CD Publications, 2000.
  One unnumbered copy of 750 signed copies.
  Withdrawn from the Aurora Public Library: Aurora, CO.
• — Nightmare House. CD Publications, 2002.
  One unnumbered copy of 750 signed copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• Garton, Ray. The New Neighbor. Charnel House, 1991.
  #26 of 500 signed & numbered copies.
  Texas A&M University
• — Sex and Violence in Hollywood. Subterranean Press, 2001
  #296 of 1250 signed & numbered copies
  Salt Lake City Library
• Golden, Christopher. Straight On ’til Morning. Cemetery Dance, 2001.
  One of 1000 signed copies.
  Lincoln City Libraries: Lincoln, NE
• Gorman, Ed. Famous Blue Raincoat. Crippen & Laudru Publishers, 1995.
  #160 of 2000 signed & numbered copies (accompanying pamphlet “Mom and Dad at Home” missing)
  Salt Lake City Library
• Hoffman, Barry. Hungry Eyes. Gauntlet Publications, 1997.
  #528 of an unknown number of signed and numbered copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• Hoffman, Barry. Eyes of Prey. Gauntlet Publications, 1998.
  One unnumbered copy of 500 signed copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• Houarner, Gerard. Visions Through a Shattered Lens. Delirium Books, 2002.
  #171 of 300 signed (by author and artist) & numbered copies
  Salt Lake City Library
• Johnson, Matt ed. Triage. CD Publications, 2001.
  One copy of 1500 signed copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• Ketchum, Jack & Lee, Edward Sleep Disorder. GauntletPublications, 2003.
  #184 of 750 signed and numbered copies.
  Jefferson County (CO) Public Library.
• Koontz, Dean. Beastchild. Charnel House, 1992.
  #257 of 750 signed & numbered copies.
  Texas A&M University
  #516 of 750 signed & nubmered copies.
  University of Nevada, Reno
• — The Book of Counted Sorrows. Charnel House, 2003.
  #130 of 1250 signed & numbered copies
  Davenport Public Library, IA
  #1006 of 1250 signed & numbered copies
  Cleveland Public Library, OH
• Lansdale, Joe R. The Lost Lansdale 1: Waltz of Shadows. Subterranean Press.
  #174 of 1000 signed & numbered copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• — The Lost Lansdale 3: Blood Dance. Subterranean Press.
  #884 of 1000 signed & numbered copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• Laymon, Richard. The Traveling Vampire Show. CD Publications.
  One unnumbered copy of 1,000 signed copies.
  Smokey Hill branch, Arapahoe Library District, CO.
• Lee, Edward. Operator “B”. CD Publications, 1999.
  #129 of 450 signed and numbered copies
  Jefferson County (CO) Public Library
• — Monstrosity. CD Publications, 2002.
  One of 1000 signed copies
  Lincoln (NE) Public Libraries
• Lumley, Brian. Screaming Science Fiction: Horrors From Out of Space. Subterranean Press, 1999.
  #262 of 1500 signed and numbered copies
  Multnomah County (OR) Library
• Matheson, Richard. Camp Plesant. CD Publications, 2001.
  #824 of 1000 signed & numbered copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• — A Stir of Echoes. Gauntlet Publications, 2002.
  #107 of 525 signed & numbered copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• Morrell, David. Nightscape. Subterranean Press, 2004.
  One of 1500 signed copies.
  Aurora Public Library, Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch: Aurora, CO.
• Powers, Tim. Last Call. Charnel House, 1992.
  #24 of 350 signed & numbered copies.
  Texas A&M University
• — (w/ James Blaylock & Dean R. Koontz). The Stress of Her Regard. Charnel House, 1989.
  #115 of 500 signed & numbered copies.
  University of Texas, Austin
• Shepard, Lucius. Aztechs Subterranean Press, 2003
  #423 of 500 signed & numbered copies.
  Formerly in the Aurora (CO) Public Library. (Withdrawn and now in my personal collection.)
• Shirley, John. Spider Moon. CD Publications, 2002.
  One unnumbered copy of 1,500 signed copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.
• Valente, Catherine. The Future is Blue. Subterranean Press, 2018.
  #1022 and seven other copies of 1250 signed copies.
  Johnson County Library, KS.
• Wilson, F. Paul . Sims book 2: The Portero Method. CD Publications, 2001.
  #453 of 750 signed & numbered copies
  Salt Lake City Library
• — Sims book 3: Meerm. CD Publications, 2002.
  #402 of 750 signed copies.
  Douglas Public Library District: Parker, CO.