As a collector of all things, including books, I was captivated by this enchanting guide. A book of books that’s a must for all bibliophiles. - Lara Maiklem (author of Sunday Times bestseller Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames Bloomsbury, 2019)

Francesca Galligan is an expert guide whose advice manages to be both practical and aspirational. Make room for this book! - Emma Smith (author of The Making of Shakespeare’s First Folio, Bodleian Library Publishing, 2023) 

Have you ever wondered whether the assortment of books you have at home is a ‘collection’? Do you want to reorganize it? Expand it? Or repair some of your treasured volumes?

This quirky but practical guide covers questions book-lovers might have about looking after their books at home. With historical anecdotes and curious examples at every turn, it will delight anyone with an interest in books and their history. Written by an expert rare books librarian at the Bodleian Libraries and covering a range of subjects including collecting, arranging and keeping books in good condition, its friendly advice will guide you through all aspects of book-ownership.

Here you will find useful tips on buying from bookfairs, bookshops and dealers and identifying first editions. Help is on hand with treating accidental mishaps and a range of common problems afflicting books, whether an attack of red rot or a broken spine. There are also chapters on shelving, how to keep track of your books, how to commission a special box for a special book and how to pass books on usefully. An indispensable resource for anyone who cherishes books.

FRANCESCA GALLIGAN is Deputy Head of Rare Books at the Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford.