Textbook Reflections: Chapter Three- Anatomy of a book

The Anatomy of a Book

It is important to know the proper terms for the parts of a book. 

The anatomy of a book may seem simple and unimportant to the naked eye but to a librarian it is complex and essential.  Librarians and libraries are charged with the well-being and maintenance of invaluable books.  In order to make sure the books are maintained properly, one needs to know the makings of a book and all of its essential elements.  

Firstly, books have endpapers/endsheets; which are simply described as the first and last pages of a book and are glued to the cover boards.  End papers are usually found in hardbound books and are sometimes decorated to add to the aesthetics of a book.  

Secondly, is the casewrap; the casewrap is simply a hardcover book or a book without a book jacket, the cardboard cover of the book that is either a solid color or wrapped with printed paper.   The Book Block is the “block” of pages within the book itself.  Sometimes the books edges are decorated or colored for aesthetics as well.  The gutter of a book is the extra blank space at the margins of the book pages that separate the binding of the book from the printed words.

The Headband of a book is the small piece of fabric, sometimes decorative, located at the top and bottom of a hardcover binding that fills the space between the cover and spine of the book and helps keep the sections upright.  

The Backbone or spine is the edge of a books binding which faces outward on a book shelf and connects the front and back covers of a book.  A mock-up is an early, unfinished version of a book format used for demonstration purposes only.

The format are sometimes included in the book for the sole purpose of having its reader interact with the book itself such as puzzles, or guided journals.  Formats can also include temporary tattoos and pencils.  The proof are the sheets that are printed before and binding of the book has been made.  They are printed to ensure that the color and images are correct.  Saddle stitch is most common method of binding a book.  These days it usually involves staples instead of stitching in the gutter where the book folds to bind the book.  Lastly, F & G stands for fold and gather is a complete printed book that has yet to be cut to size and has not been bound to the hard cover casing.