Book conservation in Oxford
I'm very lucky to have been part of a library conservation project at All Souls College in Oxford for over 30 years. I work with a small team of bookbinders and paper conservators each summer to stabilise the books in this wonderful library.
Some of the books and manuscripts date back as far as the 16th century, with historic binding structures and covering materials.
We clean the books by dusting them externally and internally, and carry out repairs to torn pages and covers using Japanese tissue and wheat starch paste. We also make custom preservation boxes, wrappers and book shoes, which support dropping text blocks.
The studio will be closed while I'm in Oxford between 14 - 27 July and 4 - 17 August 2025. The Book Shop will be open, but orders placed during those weeks will be posted on my return, so there may be a short delay before you receive your lovely books. Thank you for your patience!