the home library: a guide to the books you keep at home

Belanews

An independent guide to the home library. It is not a news publication, a shop or a library, and it has no connection with the previous website on this domain.

Reference

Reference

This glossary brings together the words that come up when people talk about how a book is made, how to keep a home catalogue and how to store books. The terms fall into three groups: the book itself, cataloguing and storage. The definitions are deliberately short and down-to-earth — they are there to help you follow the guide's advice and speak the same language as a bookbinder.

You don't need to know how an endpaper differs from a title page to enjoy reading. But that knowledge helps a great deal when a book needs careful repair or a detailed description.

— From the editors

The book

Binding
The hard or soft casing that holds the text block together and protects it. A hardback binding is sturdier; a paperback is lighter but creases and wears more quickly.
Spine
The part of the binding that joins the two covers; it is what you see when the book stands on a shelf. The author and title are usually printed on it, and it is the first part to fade in the sun.
Endpaper
A folded double leaf at the front and back of a book that attaches the text block to the binding. It is often where inscriptions are written and bookplates are placed.
Edges
The cut sides of the text block on three sides — top, bottom and fore-edge. Dust usually collects on the top edge, so cleaning starts there.
Dust jacket
A removable paper cover wrapped around the binding. It protects the book from scratches and fading, but is the first thing to tear over time, so it is worth looking after.

Cataloguing

ISBN
The International Standard Book Number, which identifies an edition unambiguously. Since 2007 it has had 13 digits; before that a 10-digit version was used.
Catalogue
A list of the books in a collection with the key details of each. At home a notebook or spreadsheet is enough: author, title, place on the shelf and a note of who has borrowed it.
Shelf mark
A code that shows a book's section or storage location. Large collections use special classification systems, but at home you can devise a simple code of your own — for example, the bookcase and shelf number.
Bookplate
An owner's mark in a book — a label or stamp on the endpaper. It helps a lent book find its way home and over time becomes part of the book's history.

Storage

Humidity
The amount of moisture in the air. Air that is too damp makes pages cockle and encourages mould; air that is too dry makes paper and glue brittle. Books do best in moderate, stable conditions.
Fading
Loss of colour on the cover and spine caused by light, especially direct sunlight. Fading cannot be reversed, so books are best kept out of the sun.
Acid-free paper
Paper made without acidic components. It keeps its colour and strength for longer, which is why it is used for books and documents intended for long-term storage.
Mould
A fungus that grows on paper and bindings in damp conditions. It shows up as stains or a fuzzy film, can spread to neighbouring books and is harmful to health, so an affected volume should be isolated and shown to a specialist.

Where these words appear

  • Guides

    How to encourage a child to read without pressure: preparation, steps with illustrative examples, mistakes and a checklist. Also the article catalogue.

  • Questions

    Short answers on storage and care, order and cataloguing, reading together and passing books on.

  • Collections

    Reading paths: your first home shelf, books and children, old books.

  • Shelving (in Russian)

    A note on the old address and ways to arrange books at home, plus a weekend plan for sorting a shelf.

  • Book care (in Russian)

    A note on the old address and a guide to protecting books from damp, sunlight, dust and mould.

  • Book catalogue (in Russian)

    A note on the old address and the steps for starting a simple home book catalogue.

  • Questions

    Short answers on storage and care, order and cataloguing, reading together and passing books on.

  • Guides

    How to encourage a child to read without pressure: preparation, steps with illustrative examples, mistakes and a checklist. Also the article catalogue.

  • Sections

    Four sections: shelves and order, book care, family reading, swapping and cataloguing.

  • Collections

    Reading paths: your first home shelf, books and children, old books.

What we drew on

  • Overview of the ISBN system (general principles)
  • Library guidance on book storage (general principles)

This advice is general and meant for an ordinary home library. If a book is especially valuable, very old or already damaged, it is better to show it to a conservator or bookbinder than to attempt a repair yourself.