Exploring Historical Bindings: A Hands-On Workshop at UC’s Archives and Rare Books Library

By Catarina Figueirinhas

In December 2024, the Preservation Lab, in collaboration with the Archives and Rare Books (ARB) Library, hosted Identifying and Describing Historical Binding Structures: A Stacks Appraisal Workshop. This two-day workshop, led by renowned bookbinding scholar and book conservator Julia Miller, provided participants with the opportunity to closely examine historical book structures, refine their descriptive vocabulary, and engage in discussions about historical book structures and cataloging practices.

Hands-On Learning in Special Collections

The workshop was designed to encourage deeper engagement with ARB’s special collections (manuscripts and incunabula) by fostering a hands-on approach to learning about historical bindings. Participants, including preservation lab staff, special collections librarians, and catalogers—worked directly with books from ARB’s stacks, analyzing structural characteristics and materials.

On the first day, Julia Miller introduced key historical binding types through a lecture and a curated selection of books and models from her own personal collection. Attendees then applied this knowledge by individually examining selected volumes, documenting their observations, and discussing key structural elements with the entire group.

Instructor Julia Miller engaging with workshop participants, discussing the structural and material characteristics of historical bindings of her own personal collection.

The second day emphasized more collaborative learning, with participants working in pairs to compare bindings and refine their descriptive techniques. The workshop concluded with a roundtable discussion on how institutions can better document structural details in special collections holdings and how that can enhance discoverability of special collections.

A display of historical books from Julia Miller’s personal collection, arranged for participants to examine and describe their binding structures.

Julia engages with participants examining the ARB’s special collection items, discussing key binding features.

Participants exploring different bindings and their unique characteristics, such as cloth bindings.

Strengthening Preservation and Cataloging Practices

This workshop not only deepened participants’ understanding of historical book structures but also reinforced the importance of preservation and documentation within libraries. By honing their ability to describe bindings accurately and key book features, attendees gained skills that will enhance catalog records, improve research accessibility, and inform conservation decision-making.

Looking Ahead

The success of Identifying and Describing Historical Binding Structures: A Stacks Appraisal Workshop highlights the value of hands-on training in special collections. As institutions continue to balance preservation with access, workshops like this play a crucial role in equipping professionals with the knowledge needed to care for and describe historical materials effectively to insure the continues access of these collections to all the communities they serve.

All the workshop participants and instructor Julia Miller.

Thank you to all the participants and Archives and Rare Books staff for letting us explore their amazing collections and use their space. A special thanks to the University of Cincinnati Libraries for their support in making this workshop a success.