Reading Nonfiction
An index subentry can narrow the subject before you turn to the page
Learn how an index subentry narrows a broad subject, why page ranges matter and how cross-references can point to a better search term.
BOOKS & THE LIFE AROUND THEM
Keep the conversation going after the last page.
Reading notes, thoughtful book discussions and practical ways to care for the collection you live with.
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Between the covers
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Reading the Edition
A Publisher’s Series Number Is Not Always the Book’s Volume Number
Separate a publisher’s series numbering from volumes within a work so you can identify the book you actually need.
Buying and Collecting Books
A Remainder Mark Tells Only Part of a Book’s Condition Story
Recognise a possible remainder mark on a book’s page edges, ask the seller for clear disclosure and assess condition separately from its sales history.
The Printed Book
The Half-Title Page Gives a Book a Quieter Entrance
Notice how a half-title page introduces a printed book, then compare it with the full title page and the rest of the opening sequence.
Reading the Book
A Colophon Can Tell You How a Book Was Made
Look beyond a book’s title page to find production details in a colophon, from type and paper to printers and edition limitations.
Book History
A Bookplate Records an Ownership Claim, Not the Book’s Author
A decorative label inside a book can reveal an ownership claim or collecting history. Record the evidence before assuming whose signature or library it represents.