The Williamsburg Imprints Program examines imprints in the following way:

• Copy-general information - Copy-general characteristics are things that do not change from copy to copy such as the title, author, printer, and the number of type sizes. If a copy displays any one of these qualities which is inconsistent with other known copies, it is considered to be a separate title.

• Copy-specific information - These kinds of data consist of attributes which can vary from copy to copy, such as the number of watermarks, general condition of the imprint, and indications of provenance. Examination of multiple copies of each title provides information about the full range of paper stocks used and thus indicate the sources of paper supplies available in Williamsburg at any given period. Examination of marks of ownership (such as bookplates and signatures) provides valuable evidence about the geographical and chronological movement of information and knowledge during the Colonial period. (Such provenance marks can also suggest distribution patterns.)

• Type - An inspection of the printing type used in an imprint can tell how many fonts of type and approximate quantities of each size were used in the shop at the time of production, the date of the piece, and where the type was produced. This information can be related to each size and style (roman, italic, black face, etc.) of type found in a given title that is displayed in every known copy. Measurements of the letters can be taken and used to help identify the founder who originally produced the type. Knowing which manufacturer produced the type used in Williamsburg may lead to relevant records in other archives which can then be linked to our group of printers.

• Watermarks - Sheets of paper that contain watermarks are subjected to a process which will safely record the watermark. The recorded watermarks are then integrated into a database to which future similar watermarks can be referred and identified. In addition, detailed measurements of the paper including thickness and density of wire lines are also recorded. Papers which do not display watermarks are still measured as an indication of quality.

• Bindings - As has been the practise with bookbinding scholars, this project takes non-damaging rubbings of all decorative tools used on a book. A collection of these rubbings is the basis for drawing conclusions about specific binders and when they worked, as they tend to appear in coherent groupings. Binders of the eighteenth century have generally proven to be creatures of habit. A study of binding structures usually gives a good indication of the identity of the binder.