One of the most common emails that I receive is an inquiry about where and how to learn bookbinding, or book conservation. I have a set response that I will post here: however, please be aware that this field is an interconnected web of skills and training, and that certain training programs will focus on certain aspects that others will not. This is not intended to be an exhaustive guide, but provides a starting point for further research and exploration.
In my own studio, I do not use unpaid interns, and only hire assistants with studio experience. Private lessons are available; however, private lessons require a certain commitment of both time and funds. These are most suitable for practicing artists, advanced undergraduates / graduate students, and those interested in applying to art or conservation programs.
Bookbinding and book conservation, as practiced in the United States and England, are generally regarded as separate professional fields. I wrote a paper about this in graduate school; I’m not going to delve into the details here.
If you are interested in a professional career working in a library or museum collection as a conservator, you will need an accredited MA degree specializing in conservation of books and/or paper. Please be aware that MA degrees do not teach basic bookbinding: this is a skill set that they expect students to bring with them into the program. MA programs lean heavily into chemistry, decision making and evaluation, bibliographic history, ethics, and conservation treatment and materials decisions. Which schools are offering MA training in conservation varies from year to year as funding, staffing, and grants are unstable. These programs are very competitive. For professional training, you’ll have to do a preprogram internship (Getty, Library of Congress, etc) before applying; the internships are also competitive and students are expected to have some working knowledge of the field through workshops and other coursework. Internships are posted in the autumn and winter for summer availability. Internships are available at various museums and research libraries, but many have been postponed due to the Covid-19 health situation.
If you are interested in a career as an edition binder, you will need the same basic bookbinding skills as for entrance into an MA program; however, you will cobble together the skills and context for edition binding through a combination of short courses, MFA or BFA courses, conferences, apprenticeships, and other informal routes. Please note that while many edition binders know the fundamentals of letterpress printing, this is generally considered a separate professional field, and there is rarely in-studio overlap of the practices; likewise with printmaking and screenprinting. As with conservation programs, the universities and colleges offering MFA and BFA programs have a tendency to change as staff retire or funding is reallocated.
For training opportunities, research:
The California Rare Book School
The Rare Book School (Virginia)
The North Bennet Street School (Boston)
The Center for the Book (NYC)
The Guild of Bookworkers
The San Francisco Center for the Book
The Academy of Bookbinding, Telluride
Be aware that it will take several years before you qualify for a masters program, and it is important to find diverse training centers for short courses beforehand. Academic training in book history, in addition to workshops in handskills, will also be helpful in applying to graduate programs.
Some commercial binderies offer training to staff, but they tend to pay minimum wage and are not considered professional training.
See the book arts web ( https://www.philobiblon.com/ ) and the American Institute for Conservation ( https://www.culturalheritage.org/ ) for further leads.
