Books

Introduction to the care and repair of books

Books have been with us for centuries. In early years, they were rare and owned usually by wealthy people or the Church. With the invention of moveable type in 1440, text could be mass-produced. This inevitably led to wider distribution and greater demand for books. But they were not produced immediately on the massive scale with which we are now familiar.

Over time, increased demand for books led to a shift from books being hand-made by craftspeople to a greater mechanisation of production. Mechanisation and the availability of cheaper materials have meant that we can meet the massive demand for books; but books are no longer what they used to be, and we have to deal with the consequences of these changes in book production.

Books, old or new, cheap or valuable, are still treasured. People love books—for the information they hold, as objects, as gifts and as collectors' items—and it is important that you are able to take steps to care for the books in your collections.

Hand-coloured 19th century children's book. Photograph courtesy of Vicki Humphrey