Library Bookbinding

Bailey, Arthur Low, 1867-Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.3

Word count: 353K words
Chapters: 36

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Library Bookbinding by Arthur Low BaileyAuthor: Bailey, Arthur Low, 1867-,Language: English, Class: Z: Bibliography, Library science, Release Date: Dec 22, 2011

Editor's review

This is an early professional handbook on library bookbinding, focusing on the materials, techniques, and management processes of binding books in a library setting. Its value lies not in bestseller-style readability but in its usefulness as a reference work of trade literature: it offers a systematic account of how binding methods are chosen, how durability is weighed, and how binding is matched to the circulation needs of a collection. Its strength is that it places technical binding questions within the practical context of library management rather than merely describing handwork techniques. It is best consulted with specific questions in mind, such as the conditions under which different binding styles are appropriate and how binding quality is judged. Because it was written long ago, its specific information on materials and equipment must be assessed against contemporary practice and should not be adopted directly. For those studying book history, the history of library technology, or the evolution of binding craft, this book is a usable primary source; for general readers it is highly specialized.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Library practitioners who need basic knowledge of traditional bookbinding and collection maintenance
Students of bookbinding and repair seeking background on craft in a library setting
Researchers in book history and library technology history who need early professional literature
Students in rare book conservation programs, as reference reading on binding management approaches

Not a good fit for

General readers seeking light reading; the book is highly specialized and lacks narrative appeal
Readers wanting a manual of modern binding procedures; the content dates from an earlier era
Hobbyists interested only in learning hand binding with no interest in library management

Reading tips

Read the table of contents first, locate chapters relevant to your own work, and consult as needed rather than reading straight through.
Compare with contemporary binding standards as you read, noting outdated information on materials and techniques.
Read alongside works on book history or library history to understand the institutional context behind the techniques.
In your notes, distinguish principles from period-specific details so they are easier to cite later.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for someone learning binding from scratch?

It is not well suited as an introductory textbook. It addresses the management and craft context of library binding, emphasizing principles and process descriptions rather than step-by-step instruction. Beginners who want to learn binding should first read modern practical tutorials, then consult this book as background to understand why libraries value durability and standardization in binding.

Can the content still be applied directly today?

It requires discernment. The book was written long ago, and the materials, equipment, and some craft standards it covers may have been updated. Its binding principles, approach to judging quality, and library-management perspective remain useful for reference, but specific operational details should be checked against current standards and contemporary materials practice rather than adopted directly.

How difficult is the English original?

This is English-language professional literature, with terminology concentrated in binding, materials, and library management, and an expository sentence style. Readers with reasonable English reading ability and familiarity with the relevant terms will find it accessible; general readers can consult it chapter by chapter with a dictionary and need not read every word.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Bailey, Arthur Low, 1867- Author · American · 1867

Bailey, Arthur Low (1867–), was an American certified public accountant who wrote works on accounting and auditing. Public information about his life is limited; library records show only that he was born in 1867 and that one work by him survives, Library Bookbinding. Although the book concerns binding techniques, it came from the hand of an accounting and auditing practitioner, suggesting that the author also took an interest in the physical form of books and in library practice. In style, his writing appears practical in orientation, attending to procedural standards and details rather than broad theoretical exposition. The work is usually classed as library technical literature and offers some reference value for understanding the craft and workflow of bookbinding in the early twentieth century. On the whole, Bailey was not known for literary fame; his writings served practical needs, and readers may best approach them from the dual perspective of his accounting background and library practice.