Little known fact. While in college I worked for a few months in the back room of the school library, restoring damaged books. When I found today’s video, I was fascinated by the extraordinary skill of Sophia Bogle, book restorer.
Hope you find this 10-minute video an education on a lost art.
Book Birthdays: 2024 Edition
Thanks for posting this fascinating process of book restoration, Steve. This inspires me to risk sending my first study Bible, which is quite ragged from use and in such fragile state, off to be restored. The thought of having it back in usable condition brings to me a marvelous joy. Thank you.
Well, you know what they say, Michael, a Bible that is falling apart is usually a sign of a life that isn’t.
I have been using Logos Bible Study software for almost thirty years now. Someone gave it to me on a floppy disk a few months after God changed my life on Cinco de Mayo, 1994. I now use it on my tablet. Doesn’t have the same feel as paper . . .
I appreciate the painstaking work she goes through in the video, some books are worth the effort!
I am in awe. We have numerous old editions (Heidi, Black Beauty, etc.) that would benefit from restoration but I assume the cost would be prohibitive. We handle them very carefully. Thanks for posting!!
I too found this fascinating and I love her spirit, so thoughtful. My first grandchild is on his way. I have over 100 Hardy Boys that have never seen an attic or garage; in great condition to hand down. Michael, what a great idea to send off my Bible.
Steve, you find the most fascinating things to share with us on Fun Friday.
Thank you!
Thank you for this wonderful post, Steve. I love books, reading, and this lovingly creative rendition of legacy. (Your own career had an interesting start!)
I love this so much. I love what she said about, as the restorer of books, she gets to be part of the story.
My sweet paternal grandmother only had an eighth grade education, and while she did not go to such great lengths to restore books, she was known in her rural Ohio community as the local book binder.
Therefore, this video held special significance for me. She’s been gone for many years, but this video made me smile, remembering her.
Thank you.
I loved this video! I collect old books and could so easily see me having taken her path had the opportunity presented itself back in my crossroads years. And Steve, I would have loved to see the back room of Fleming Library!
Fabulous video. One of my first jobs was in a library where I did basic repair on damaged books. Now I have many very old books I’d love to restore-very different from repair. I watched this video 3 times. Need to watch at least 10 more and research every element before even attempting an amateur version of restoration.
If you go to her web site she has a $169 book repair kit that includes three months access to her online instructional videos.
https://saveyourbooks.com/shop/
This very good!!! Wish this lady would be my neighbor!!
Wow! This was fantastic. And what a coincidence. I, too, worked in the book repair section of our high school library when I was a senior. I loved it.
Since I was redirected by my senior counselor to pursue a teaching career (long story, but it never happened), I’ve repaired many books of my own at home, including my mother’s old Bible. Wish I had pursued this career as well as writing. Thanks again.
Fascinating. If I had another life, this would be a possibility.
The video was interesting. That woman is doing a great service. I once had a book titled “The Presidents of the United States From Washington Until Now”–and “Now” was the turn of the 20th century!! It was in poor condition and I kept it a long time, hoping one day to repair it. But somewhere along the line when I moved I threw it out. (Sigh)
As a student working in a library I became so good at mending books they once had me mend a Gutenberg Bible!
I love to repair treasured Bibles. So, I’m writing a cozy bibliomystery featuring a Christian bookbinder. I hope to make it a series. This was a timely Fun Friday.
Wow, what a meticulous craft! My stomach turned just thinking about the idea that one slip could ruin everything. She’s amazing!
In college, I worked at the university library. One lady there did book repair, though not as extensive as this. Fascinating stuff.
I suppose there’s a writing metaphor here: sometimes you have to take your writing apart and put it back together. Any renovation requires breaking things down first.