How to deal with the citation of books without a publisher in the middle?

When citing books with unidentifiable publishers in MLA style, replace the publisher's name with "n.p." to denote "no publisher" within your Works Cited entry. This approach applies exclusively when thorough research confirms the publisher is genuinely undiscoverable—it is not for cases where information is merely omitted. Always verify the absence through standard academic databases (like WorldCat), ISBN searches, and library catalogs. Crucially, retain the place of publication if known (e.g., "City: n.p., Year.") and the medium designation "Print." Do not use this abbreviation if the publisher is identifiable or if the work is a manuscript or preprint. Proper use of "n.p." accurately reflects the source's nature, particularly for privately printed works, specific academic dissertations distributed outside university channels, or very old texts where publisher data is legitimately lost. This convention maintains citation integrity and avoids misleading information gaps, ensuring clarity for readers tracing your sources.