Another King James 1st ed, hiding in plain sight.

Drew University, founded in Madison, N.J., in 1867 as a Methodist seminary, is known for its unusually rich collection of rare books and manuscripts, including hundreds of historic Bibles, a 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle and extensive holdings relating to Willa Cather.

Now, a graduate student has discovered a treasure the library didn’t know it had: a first edition of the King James Bible.

The 1611 Bible, which surfaced in late October, is a so-called “He Bible,” named for a typographical error in the Book of Ruth that was corrected in the middle of the first printing. Of the fewer than 200 King James first editions known to survive, most are “She” copies.

Brian Shetler, a doctoral candidate in book history who works in the library, discovered the Bible when he was hunting through the rare-book shelves, pulling a sampling of 17th-century books printed in England to show to a history class. It was in a box with a label mentioning “Bible,” “1611” and “R. Barker,” a seeming reference to the London printer Robert Barker.

“I just thought, ‘Oh, that’s interesting,’” Mr. Shetler said. “I knew Barker had published the King James Bible, but I thought there was no way we would have one and not know about it.”

The title page was missing, but the binding included an undated seller’s note, probably from the late 19th century, identifying it as a “He Bible,” its title page “wanting,” priced at a mere 2 pounds, 12 shillings and 6 pence. Mr. Shetler and Cassie Brand, the library’s special collections cataloger, then checked for the rogue pronoun and several other well-known typos.

“I was just shocked,” Mr. Shetler said. “A bunch of people gathered around, trying to look at the book and figure it out. But then we all had to get back to work.”

Ms. Brand and others fully authenticated the volume by checking a total of 35 distinguishing features, including woodcuts that are unique to the King James Bible.