An ex-libris label is a small, usually decorative printed label that is pasted into the first page a book. Ex-libris is Latin for “from the library of” and are also known as bookplates. The ex-libris label typically bears the name of the book owner but it can also have the date and the place the owner lived. Bookplates show the provenance of the books and were very common in history. But before you madly start labeling your books, you need to give this some thought. Putting a bookplate in a book is serious business.
What happens when you want to sell your books or you die unexpectedly and your ancestors aren’t interested in keeping your collection? What does a bookplate do to the value of the books?
Some collectors feel that a bookplate is a COA or “Certificate of Authenticity” of sorts. They love the idea of being able to identify the provenance of the book and the continuity of ownership and enjoyment that goes with it. The hope is that someone in future will look them up and want more information about the owner from their ancestors.
However, most book collectors feel that an ex-libris label or bookplate defaces a book and detracts from the value. The reason is that the adhesives used on bookplates are often not acid-free and therefore may damage the pages that it’s attached to and the adhesive may even seep through the page and damage other pages. Furthermore, bookplates are usually very difficult to remove without damaging the page and if they are able to be removed they often leave a brown spot where the label once was.
The ex-libris label, friend or foe? The general consensus from collectors is foe. It is considered damage to the book. Of course, if you are the author or other famous person, then go ahead and put in a bookplate because this will definately increase the value of the book, but the rest of us should abide by this rule “if you didn’t write it, then don’t write in it.”