Unpopular opinion: Library binding vs. personal binding at the Huntington Library

I was at the Huntington Library last weekend looking at their rare book collection. The bindings on display were gorgeous, but it got me thinking about how museums treat original bindings versus rebinding for preservation. A docent told me they sometimes rebind rare texts even when the original covers are intact, and I wondered if that's erasing history or saving it. What does everyone think about stripping original bindings for the sake of shelf stability?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_paul1mo ago

Totally. I've rebound a few old paperbacks myself and zero regrets.

riley_west1mo ago

Ugh, rebinding feels like ripping the soul out of a book.

oliviat171mo ago

@riley_west I guess the soul gets a new cover then, like a library edition with better dust jacket.