BUILDING A LIBRARY BOOK BY BOOK

For the bibliophile, nothing is more satisfying than a bookcase full of reading material, and collecting books can be as fulfilling as reading them. A collection can be built around specific authors, genres, subjects, publishers, bindings, editions, or autographed copies. And books can be purchased for as little as a quarter at local thrift stores and yard sales, or for several thousand dollars from dealers of rare and antiquarian books.

After deciding what type of books to collect, the novice collector should learn the terms of the trade.

First Edition: The first time a book is printed. Subsequent editions occur when major changes are made to the text.

Printing: Additional runs of the same edition.

Number Line: A series of numbers listed on the copyright page. These are usually shown as 1 through 10, or 10 to 1. If the full sequence is show, the book is a first printing. If the number line starts at 4, it is a fourth printing.

ISBN: International standardized book number. Usually ten digits long.

Boards: Refers to a books cover.

Book Club: Less expensive copies, often cheaper in quality.

Book Plate: The printed label of previous owner usually found inside front cover.

Bumped: Damage to corners of a book.

Chipped: Refers to damage to dust cover.

Cocked: An uneven book.

Deckled Edge: Uneven, rough edges to pages which occur when book is bound.

Dust Jacket or Dust cover: The printed cover which covers boards.

End Papers: The first and last pages of a book which may, or may not, be decorated.

Ex-Library: Previously owned by a library. Usually has library stamp and pocket glued inside rear cover.

Foxed: Pages are discolored by brown spots.

OOP: Out of print. Only secondary copies are available.

Rubbed: Wear to covers.

Tanned: Pages are uniformly darkened by age.



Nothing affects the value of a book like condition. Lack of a dust jacket for a modern first edition may devalue a book by as much as seventy percent. Copies which are badly foxed, cocked, or worn should be avoided unless they are rare.

First edition, first printings are generally the most sought after, and as a result, the most expensive copy of a book.

As with any other collectible, rarity and demand has great impact on the value of a book.

Whether you collect as an investment, or solely for the pleasure of having something to read, book collecting is a rewarding hobby for both the novice and the serious collector.