bibliophily

Bibliophily is the love or enthusiastic appreciation of books, including the content, form, and physical artifacts of book culture. A person who engages in bibliophily is called a bibliophile. For many, the term encompasses both ardent reading and the collecting, study, and preservation of books as cultural objects. Bibliophiles value textual variety, historical editions, and the craftsmanship of books—bindings, typography, paper, and printing methods—as well as marginalia and commentary by readers across time.

Historically, interest in books as prized objects developed in antiquity and the medieval manuscript culture, but modern book collecting became prominent in the early modern and especially the 18th and 19th centuries with the growth of libraries and the antiquarian book trade. Collectors sought first editions, fine bindings, and signed copies, shaping collections and museums such as the Folger Shakespeare Library, established by Henry Clay Folger and his wife.

In contemporary practice, bibliophiles may maintain private libraries, attend book fairs and auctions, study provenance and conservation, and engage in bibliographic scholarship. The field overlaps with library science, conservation, and the study of book arts. It is distinct from bibliomania, which is sometimes used to describe compulsive or excessive collecting behavior. The rise of digital media has added new dimensions to bibliophily, as many enthusiasts emphasize the tactile experience, rarity, and historical context of physical books even in an era of e-books.