Bookbinding Repair Education and Training

How to get the level of training you need for custom bookbinding repair

While fixing bookbinding is the main task that comes to mind for restoring books, it is just one of many tasks included in most bookbinding repair education and training options. Restoring books is a complex art that involves knowledge of the materials, publishing techniques and ordinary wear and tear in the life of a book. This knowledge is available through a range of bookbinding repair education and training options.

One of the best ways to learn more about how to repair bookbinding and restore books is to attend a class, either as part of a library-related degree or for non-degree credit for professional development or personal interest. If you are unable to attend a course on book repair, a number of manuals also are available for sale or for free online that can serve as useful references and how-to guides.

When looking for bookbinding repair education and training options, consider the following:

1. Attend a course on bookbinding repair and restoration;
2. Earn a degree in library sciences or information studies for more in depth expertise;
3. Go to an annual conference for up-to-date seminars on bookbinding repair.
   

 

Learn about custom bookbinding repair from a book repair course

Whether you need a basic overview of book repair and maintenance or want to learn about techniques in a special topic like leather bookbinding repair, a book repair and restoration course is a good option for getting detailed technical knowledge without the long-term time commitment of a higher education degree. A number of services offer individual courses on a regular basis to help librarians, archivists and hobbyists develop their book repair knowledge and skills.
Try: Amigos Library Services and Infopeople Project both offer individual courses in basic bookbinding repair. These classes are typically open to individuals or library institutions, and offer an overview of bookbinding repair materials and techniques at a range of levels.

Become an expert in bookbinding repair materials and techniques with a degree in library sciences

Library sciences or information studies degrees are higher education degree programs that typically include a range of bookbinding repair coursework in their programs of study. Topics you may expect to cover with a library sciences degree include practical and current issues in managing information and library services, but also techniques for hand bookbinding and book reconditioning for maintaining archival works.
Try: Degrees in library science, like the degree offered by the University of Denver, are typically master's degrees for people interested in pursuing careers in libraries and archival institutions. Syracuse University offers a degree from the School of Information Studies, which is similar, but may have a broader focus on new forms of media and information in addition to traditional courses on bookbinding repair.

Get the latest updates on how to repair bookbinding by attending an annual conference

If you're looking for the latest information on a specific topic, such as stain removal from cloth pages or leather bookbinding repair, annual conferences can provide you with special topic seminars and panels on the most cutting edge developments in library science and book repair. These conferences can be helpful for people new to the field, as well as established professionals looking to update their knowledge.
Try: Attend the Maine Library Association conference, or another regional conference in your area, for annually updated seminars on bookbinding repair. You can also find conference sessions on book repair at an annual meeting of the Association for Library and Information Science Education.

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