A

Advance Copy: A pre-publication copy sent to reviewers.

All Edges Gilt (a.e.g.): The edges of the pages are gilded.

Antiquarian Books: Books that are over 100 years old, valuable due to their age, rarity, or historical significance.

Autograph Copy: A book signed by its author.

B

Backstrip: The covering of the book's spine.

Bifolium: A sheet of paper folded to create two leaves (four pages).

Binding: The cover of a book, made of leather, cloth, or other materials.

Bookplate: A label indicating ownership, often decorative.

Broadsheet: A large sheet of paper printed on one side only.

C

Chapbook: A small, inexpensive booklet, often of popular tales or poetry.

Colophon: A statement at the end of a book giving details of its publication.

Cocked: When the spine of a book is slanted.

Collation: The process of checking the completeness of a book.

D

Deckle Edges: The rough, untrimmed edges of a book.

Dust Jacket: A paper cover that protects the book.

E

Edition: All copies of a book printed from the same setting of type.

Endpapers: The sheets of paper often blank at the beginning and end of a book, including the paper pasted onto the inside covers.

Ephemera: Printed items intended for short-term use, now collectible (e.g., tickets, pamphlets).

Ex-Libris: A bookplate denoting ownership.

F

Facsimile Edition: A reproduction of a book that attempts to replicate the original as closely as possible.

Folio (2o): A book format where the sheet is folded once, creating two leaves (four pages).

G

Gilt: Gold applied to the edges of a book or its cover.

Gutter: The inner margin of pages where they are bound.

I

Imprint: Publication information found at the base of the title page.

Incunable: Books printed before 1501.

L

Leaf: A single sheet in a book, each side of which is a page.

Limited Edition: An edition limited to a specific number of copies.

M

Manuscript: A book or document written by hand.

Morocco: Leather made from goatskin, used in bookbinding.

P

Pagination: The numbering of pages.

Pastedown: The part of the endpaper that is pasted to the inside cover.

Provenance: The history of ownership of a particular book.

Q

Quarto (4to): A book format created by folding a sheet twice to form four leaves (eight pages).

R

Recto: The front side of a leaf (the right-hand page).

Rubrication: Red lettering or decoration in a manuscript.

S

Signature: A group of leaves bound together, often marked by a letter or number.

Slipcase: A box designed to hold a book.

T

Tail: The bottom edge of a book.

Tipped-In: A page that is glued into a book after binding.

V

Verso: The back side of a leaf (the left-hand page).

Vellum: A high-quality parchment made from calfskin.

W

Watermark: A distinguishing mark impressed on paper during manufacture.