Event Lectures and Symposia The Visible Book: A Look Inside at Book Construction, Historic to Modern

Date and Location

Part of National Book Festival ; 2021 National Book Festival

Request ADA accommodations five business days in advance at (202) 707-6362 or ADA@loc.gov.

Look inside the covers and learn how books are constructed. The Library’s Conservation Division shows you how to identify the influences of historic book structures in the modern bindings of today.

From papyrus to parchment to paper, from Gutenberg’s Bible to the pulp paperback, we’ll show you — with models and examples from the Library’s collections — how bookbinding has evolved through the centuries.

We’ll also highlight some recent projects completed by the Conservation Division (with video links for future viewing) and finish up with a live panel of experts ready to answer your questions.

Learn more about the Library of Congress experts participating in the National Book Festival, including Shelly Smith, the head of book conservation.

Multimedia