Frequently Asked Questions

At present, it is contemplated that the print edition of The Joseph Smith Papers will consist of about two dozen volumes, divided into five series: Documents, Journals, Revelations and Translations, Histories, and Administrative Records; a sixth series, Legal, Business, and Financial Records, will be published online. Transcripts of all known and available Joseph Smith documents will be published on the Joseph Smith Papers website, along with the annotation from the printed volumes and images of almost all of the documents.

The resources required to publish a volume that meets documentary editing standards are substantial, which is why most volumes of the Founding Fathers papers projects typically sell for more than $100. Because the Joseph Smith Papers Project has private funding as well as Church support, it has been able to reduce the cost per volume. Most volumes will be priced at or near $55, but volume prices will vary depending on the number of pages, whether the volume is in color, and other factors. The volumes of The Joseph Smith Papers are made of high-quality components (acid-free paper, Smyth-sewn binding, dyed cloth cover, and heavy cover board), which will allow the volumes to sustain decades of regular library use.

The project plans to publish volumes at a rate of about two each year. The project will publish Documents, Volume 5 and Documents, Volume 6 in 2017.