Library Editions - Overview

Most popular series books have been issued in hardcover library editions. The bindings vary from patterns that resemble wallpaper to a wide variety of colors, including both drab and bright colors. Many collectors scorn these editions and consider them worth less than the regular editions, but the library bindings do have a certain charm. In some cases, the library editions command a premium price, most particularly for the hardcover library bindings of Trixie Belden #17 and up since many collectors would prefer to have durable hardcover editions instead of the commonplace paperback editions. Additionally, the library editions are much more scarce than the regular editions and are much more difficult to find.

Nancy Drew #41 The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes

A library-bound hardcover edition is created from a regular edition when the text block is removed from the original binding and placed in the more durable library binding. Sometimes the cover art of the original book is removed and is either glued or laminated to the hardcover binding. In other cases, the text block is placed in a special library binding that has cover art unique to the library binding. The text block is almost always trimmed on all sides before being rebound, so library editions are shorter than the regular editions and are often different sizes from each other.

Most library bindings do not have illustrated endpapers, but sometimes the endpapers from the original binding survive the rebinding process. An examination of the books that do have illustrated endpapers reveals that library editions which are bound at about the same time can have several different types of endpapers such as blue silhouette or black and white multi endpapers. A wide variety of existing books were used for the library bindings, and bindings from the same era may be rebound from books that are from different time periods.

Provided here are cover art galleries of some of the different library-bound editions. At the right, various library editions are pictured which are not included in the below sections.

Nancy Drew 1940s Style Library Binding
These editions were likely bound during the late 1940s or 1950s, and the covers feature a line drawing based on the early Russell Tandy cover art.
Nancy Drew Cameo Bindings
These bindings feature line drawings of the dust jacket art, a cameo spine symbol, and a magnifying glass symbol on the back cover.

Nancy Drew Orange and Red APC Editions
These editions were bound during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the American Publishers Corporation.
Nancy Drew Green APC Editions
These editions were bound during the 1960s and feature a black and white drawing based on the cover art of the 1960s.

Nancy Drew Misc. 1970s Editions
These bindings feature a plain cover with the title or the title and a crude drawing contained within a box on the front cover.
Nancy Drew FLB Editions
The FLB editions use a crude drawing based on the Nappi cover art for Twisted Candles.

Nancy Drew Multi Editions
The cover art of these bindings feature the multipic endpapers design used in the regular 1970s editions.
Nancy Drew Econo-Clad Editions
The Econo-Clad books come in several colors and in most cases feature the original picture cover art which is glued to the library binding.

Nancy Drew Geometric Design Bindings
These Nancy Drew library bindings consist of simple geometric designs. Also pictured are examples from other series.
Nancy Drew Patterned Bindings
These bindings consist of generic patterns similar to the types of patterns used on wallpaper.

Nancy Drew BTSB Editions
These bindings come in several colors and feature the picture cover art which is printed on the library binding.
Nancy Drew Wanderer and Minstrel Picture Covers
These hardcover versions of the Wanderer and Minstrel paperbacks have bindings with the cover art printed directly on the library binding.

Nancy Drew Wanderer and Minstrel Laminated Boards
These hardcover versions of the Wanderer and Minstrel paperbacks have bindings with the cover art attached to the binding by lamination.
Connie Blair Library Bindings
The Connie Blair books were issued in bindings featuring generic patterns similar to the types of patterns used on wallpaper.

Dana Girls Library Bindings
The Dana Girls books were issued in several types of library bindings including FLB, cameo, multi, and generic patterns.
Judy Bolton Cameo Bindings
These Judy Bolton library editions feature a black and white line drawing based on the original dust jacket art.

Judy Bolton FLB Editions
The Judy Bolton FLB editions all feature the cover art of The Whispered Watchword on the front cover.
Judy Bolton Patterned Bindings
These Judy Bolton library editions feature various patterns on the covers.

Trixie Belden Goldencraft Hardcovers
The Trixie Belden Goldencraft Bindings are hardcover variations of the oval and square paperback editions.
Trixie Belden Econo-Clad and Other Bindings
The Trixie Belden books were also bound by Econo-Clad and several other binderies. Some of the bindings used generic patterns.

Hardy Boys Cameo Bindings
These bindings feature line drawings of the dust jacket art, a cameo spine symbol, and a circular symbol on the back cover featuring the cover art from several different titles.
Hardy Boys APC Editions
These editions were bound during the 1960s and feature a black and white drawing based on the cover art of the 1960s.

Hardy Boys 1970s Library Editions
These editions were bound during the 1970s and feature unique cover art drawn within a box on the front cover.
Cherry Ames APC Editions
The American Publishers Corporation rebound the Cherry Ames books during the 1960s and 1970s.

Cherry Ames Library Editions
The Cherry Ames books were bound in a variety of different library bindings including Cameo, FLB, Multi, and Patterned Bindings.