Tutorials & Reference

Guild of Book Workers

• Standards of Excellence Workshop Handouts
• Study Opportunities List, a great starting point to find instruction in the book arts. Organized geographically. See also Book Arts Centers, Eduction, & Programs.

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias: Now their own section on the "Reference" page.

Looking for an attractive textblock to bind, consider downloading my translation of Ernst Collin's Der Pressbengel (as The Bone Folder). It's all laid out in PDF to print double-sided for binding in signatures (5 signatures of 16 pages each). Click here to download, and for more go to the Pressbengel Project blog.

• Art, Books, and Creativity: Tutorials on a variety of styles including accordion, flagbook, tunnel books, and pop-ups.
• Atelier für Papierdesign Peter Baumgartner: Numerous videos in German and English on binding structures, boxes, and more.
• Basic Paper Treatments for Printed Book Materials: By Peter Verheyen (Published in the Guild of BookWorkers Journal, Spring 1991).
• Board Book Tutorial: Tutorial for creating a board book structure like those used on Children's book. By Ellen Golla of Paper Chipmunk.
• The Book an interactive description: Javascript enabled description of the parts of a (German) case binding, but works for almost all other kinds as well. Thank you to Peter Baumgartner for letting me use his illustration and script.
• Book Care and Repair Resources: List of linked resources provided by the Tippecanoe County Public Library.
• Book Conservation Catalog: The Book Conservation Catalog is a publication of the Book and Paper Group of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. The Book Conservation Catalog is published as a convenience for the members of the Book and Paper Group. Publication does not endorse nor recommend any treatments, methods, or techniques described herein.
• Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: A Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology. At CoOL (Conservation Online). Digital version of print edition from HathiTrust - view from US-based IP addresses only.
• Bookbinding, a Tutorial, Douglas W. Jones, University of Iowa.
• Bookbinding Texts Online: Classical texts describing the craft of bookbinding and related arts from LostCrafts. Texts include:
  • The Art of Bookbinding, Joseph W. Zaehnsdorf, London 1897 (3rd ed.).
  • The Binding of Books: An Essay in the History of Gold-Tooled Bindings. Hebert P. Horne. London, 1894.
  • Bookbinding and the Care of Books, A Handbook for Amateurs Bookbinders & Librarians. Douglas Cockerell with Drawings by Noel Rooke and other Illustrations. New York 1902.
  • Bookbinding for Beginners. Florence O. Bean. School Arts Publishing Company, 1914.
  • And more...
• Bookbinding tutorials in French and English: Videos by Gilbert Saint-Jean, Montreal, CA.
• Bookbinding Types: A "reference guide" to different binding structures with links to tutorials.
• Booklyn Education Manual: Lots of downloadable tutorials for one sheet, accordion, pamphlet, stab-sewn/Japanese, Coptic and more.
• Book Support Cradle: Instructions by Tara O'Brien for making a folding book support cradle for reading and displaying books at gentle angles.
• Boxes for the Protection of Books: A revised & updated version of the previous 1981 volume, Boxes for the Protection of Rare Books: Their Design and Construction by Lage Carlson, Margaret R. Brown, Library of Congress Preservation Directorate. Designed to meet the needs of book conservators, museum technicians, & curators in libraries & archives who require a practical method for the construction of protective boxes, which provide a safe method for storing, handling, & transporting library materials. Protective boxing affords a non-invasive, cost effective, & archivally sound way of dealing with large numbers of items or entire collections. Covers: simple housings; phased boxes; portfolios; double-tray clam shell box; book box with portfolio smaller/larger than the book. Digital made available by HathiTrust - view from US-based IP addresses only.
• Braintan.com: Natural Tanning and Leather Resources.
• Case Binding: Nicely done tutorial for a variant of the Bradel/German case binding.
• Chinese Bookbinding: Descriptions of Chinese binding styles, with illustrations, from the Dunhuang collection of the British Library.
• Coptic: Another set of instructions for making a book in the Coptic style.
• Creating a 2-sided booklet in InDesign: These are directions to create a small booklet in InDesign.
• Crossed Binding Structure: An innovative long-stitch structure developed by Carmencho Arregui.
• Cut / Fold Templates - Templates for Paper Mechanisms: "Functional, foldable structures together in a collection that our class could develop new ideas from the same starting point of "classical" paper-engineering knowledge."
• Cutting Jig: I built this simple cutting jig long before I had a Kuttrimmer and it continues to serve me well. Advantages are low cost and the ability to cut materials "square."
• ‘Dos Rapporté’ Structures: From the "spine made off the book and hooked on," an innovative sewn book structure developed by Benjamin Elbel that functions like the "sewn boards" or "drum leaf" structure. From The New Bookbinder, Vol. 32, 2012. Many of these ideas were integrated into his "Tue-mouche" binding structure tutorial.
• Double-Guard Binding: Structure useful of photo albums and scrapbooks. Allows book to open flat. By Betty Storz.
• Drop-spine Box: Instructions from the Preservation Department at Indiana University. Part of their treatment manual.
• Drop-spine Box: Instructions from the Conservation Lab of the Syracuse University Library. Designed for use by work- study students.
• Drumleaf Binding: Developed by Tim Ely
  • By Melissa Jay Craig in an article about Tim Ely's presentation on his structure.
  • By Karen Hanmer along with the sewn board binding of Gary Frost.
  • By Alisa Golden from the Making Handmade Books blog.
• Encuadernación a la Bradel: Extensive bradel binding tutorial in Spanish by Carlos Rey.
• Edge Gilding: Solid and rough gilding of book edges in this Tutorial by Peter Geraty. Very good instructions.
• Endbands: models and information on tying historic endbands.
• Endbands, Headbands, and Ties: Endbands structural classification, and stuck-on endbands conservation with an historical overview. In Spanish and English.
• Endpapers: The following endpapers are examples of several endpapers currently in use for different purposes. These endpapers were by Linda Blaser and compiled from a class on endpaper construction taught by Donald Etherington and Christopher Clarkson in September 1973. Part of the Book Conservation Catalog.
• English Case Binding Revisited: In England a case binding is essentially the same thing as a traditional structure: the text-block is rounded and backed at a 90 degree angle and the cover consists of two boards and a spine stiffener, with small gaps in between as no French groove is required. Industrial bookbinding has accustomed us to French grooves, so much so that the absence of the latter makes a book look less ordinary. By Benjamin Elbel
• Fan-gluing Basics: The better way to do adhesive bindings. By Pete Jerman. See also.
• Fan-gluing (Double Fan) or Lumbeck Bookbinding with a Bradel Case: Demonstrated by Darryn Schneider of DAS Bookbinding. Chek out Darryn's other tutorials.
• Der gebrochene Rücken: A variation of the German case (Bradel) binding. This article by Peter Verheyen orginally appeared in a festschrift honoring Hedi Kyle and her work that was published by Rutherford Witthus in conjunction with the Hybrid Book Conference in Philadelphia, June 4-6, 2009.
• German Case (Bradel) Binding Tutorial: Step-by-step instructions for this binding technique. This article by Peter Verheyen was published in Skin Deep, Volume 22 - Fall 2006.
• German Stiffened Paper Bindings: Known as broschuren and steifbroschuren in German, these brochures, pamphlets, and other related bindings have long been a part of the German bookbinding tradition. These can range from single section pamphlets with simple wrappers to adhesive bound or sewn textblocks in wrappers, to hard cover variants. In all cases the common thread is providing the texts with a simple yet functional binding that may or may not be intended to be permanent.
• Gold Leaf Tooling: Excellent description of workshop with Jamie Kampf by Easter Kibby.
• Guidelines for the conservation of leather and parchment bookbindings. From the Royal Dutch Library.
• Handvergolden in der Buchbinderei, im Lederwaren- und Galanteriefach: Self-published by Kuno März in 1917. Insights and practical instruction in the art of gold tooling and finishing.
• Hazardous Substances Data Bank: From the National Library of Medicine. Searchable database of toxins.
• Historic bookbinding models from the Conservation Lab of the University of Iowa Library.
• How to Make a Simple Hardcover Book.
• Making a Small Notebook or Sketchbook: Handy origami fold them yourself Instructions for a small book using an unsupported link stitch. By Adrienne Allen.
• How to Make a Tunnel Book: A tutorial by Edward Hutchins.
• iBookbinding: Free book binding resources and tutorials. Feel free to browse through instructional posts, watch our collection of video tutorials or find your local bookbinders in our directory.
• Laser Printed Labels: Tips and tricks on creating laser printed labels for books and boxes.
• Lay-Flat Binding: Flexible Strength, the adhesive quarter-joint binding. By Pete Jermann. See also.
• The Magic Box: Fun folded box-binding by Edward Hutchins.
• Manuel Pour la Reliure et la Réparation des Livres Destinés à la Conservation à Long Terme: EXCELLENT manual for book repair and conservation from the Bibliothèque Cantonale et Universitaire - Lausanne. Organized by type of problem and binding style. In French with very clear illustrations describing the techiques.
• Medieval Manuscript Manual: This manual was created in the course of various cultural heritage-projects at the Department of Medieval Studies at Central European University, Budapest. It should offer basic information on the topic Medieval Manuscripts to be comprehended and utilized also by non-specialists in the field. It might be applied as general background knowledge, teaching module, and distance learning unit.
• Metal Binding: Judith Hoffman's instructions for making a simple metal binding.
• Millimeter Binding / Edelpappband: Step-by-step instructions for this very elegant and refined German case binding structure.. By Peter Verheyen.
  • Anleitung auf Deutsch in "Der Edelpappband," Meister der Einbandkunst (MDE) Rundbrief, 2020.
• Molded Paper Spine: Instructions for the use of heavy handmade paper such as Iowa's PC4 as a substitute for leather in rebacking, including over raised cords. Instructions from the Conservation Lab of the Syracuse University Library.
• Origamic Architecture: Describes a papercraft form which combines the careful folding of origami, the detailed cutting of scherenschnitte, and the precise paper engineering of pop-ups.
• Pamphlet Stitch: Three- and five-Hole pamphlet stitch.
• Paper sizing: An explanation of the DIN series (non US, rest of the world standard).
• Paper Specification Standards: U.S. Government Printing Office publication describing the specifications for a wide range of papers and boards in use in the printing and binding industries.
• Phase Box: Simple folded and taped enclosure, most used for brittle materials, but easily adaptable. Instructions from the Conservation Lab of the Syracuse University Library. Designed for use by work- study students.
• Hugo Peller's Pop-up Box: Instructions for making a combination slip-case with dropspine box that makes the book "pop-up." Instructions and diagrams by Jack Fitterer.
• Portfolio With Soft Flaps. By Peter Verheyen.
• Printing Google Books (and other PDFs) in signatures for sewn bindings. By Suzy Morgan.
• Procedures and Treatments Used for Book Repair and Pamphlet Binding: From the University of Illinois.
• Quarter-joint Binding: Instruction for making a double-fan, adhesive bound, version of this style. By Peter Jerman. See also.
• Recasing: Instructions from the Conservation Lab of the Syracuse University Library. Designed for use by work- study students.
• Repair of original cloth case bindings using Japanese paper: By Don Etherington.
• Repair of broken leather joints using Japanese paper: By Don Etherington.
• Secret Belgian Binding: Great description by Erin Fletcher of this binding style that was "rediscovered" by Hedi Kyle. In Spanish here.
• Sewing: A Guide to Swell by Jeff Peachey.
• Sewn Board Binding: Designed by Gary Frost, takes advantage of the sewing and board attachment features of the earliest form of the codex but has a final form that is more in-line with a modern case binding.
  • By Karen Hanmer along with the drumleaf binding of Tim Ely.
  • Sewn board binding described by Henry Hebert.
  • From Colin Hill Urbina at Low Mountain Bindery. [From Internet Archive - longer load time]
  • By Peter Baumgartner. Video in English with transcript in German.
  • By Leigh Craven from The Bonefolder, Volume 4, No. 2, Spring 2008.
• Skin Deep: A quarterly newsletter published by J. Hewit & Sons, Ltd.
• Slipcase: Schematic for a simple "ten-minute" slipcase suitable for smaller books.
• Slipcase and Chemise: Monique Lallier's presentation on the making of these from the 2002 Guild of Book Workers Standards of Excellence Seminar in Minneapolis, MN.
• Spiral Bindings in a Hard Cover: An Alternative to Rebinding: By William Minter.
• Springback (Account/Ledger Book) Binding
  • The Springback: Instructions in the English tradition for a binding designed for account, ledger, and guest books. By Peter Verheyen.
  • The Springback: Instructions in the German tradition for a binding designed for account, ledger, and guest books. By Peter Verheyen and Donia Conn.
• Standing Press: Instructions for making your own standing press. By Perry Nigro.
• The Starbook: Dea Fischer's tutorials for folded books, concertinas with pockets and flags, and various sewn structures.
• Structure Outline for Book Description Documentation by Robert Espinosa.
• Thin Spine Conservation Binding Structure: Similar in concept to the Molded Paper Spine, this treatment is intended for materials in the collection printed before 1800 in which the text block is less than 1cm thick. Instructions from the Conservation Lab of the Syracuse University Library.
• This to That: "Because people have a need to glue things to other things." Some of the suggestions are out there, but a great starting point.
• Three Basic Book Repair Procedures: By Carole Dyal and Pete Merrill-Oldham. Instructions for three simple, non-invasive repair techniques as demonstrated at ALA in 1998.
• Trimming signatures without use of boardshear, plough, or guillotine. By Sarah Bryant.
• Parchment Over Boards: Binding of books into parchment over stiff boards in this tutorial by Peter Geraty.
• Vellum On Boards: Description of a case structure with step-by-step instructions for covering in vellum that greatly reduces board warping. By Peter Verheyen.
  • "Man, I am impressed. I covered the case last week when it was raining, redid the fore-edge turnins (don't ask) and the boards are still dead flat after sitting out for the past couple of days. I think I'm gonna be using more vellum in the future. Thanks for sharing the method." The Boss Dog.
• Woven and Interlocking Book Structures from the Janus, Steiner and Gefn Presses by Claire Van Vliet and Elizabeth Steiner, 2002.