The first of five in a series about the collational formula, this video presents an overview of important definitions used in bibliography: leaf, format, gathering, signature marks, recto, and verso, as well as discussing how those elements are noted in the formula. Later videos in the series discuss format, collation, cancels and insertions, and signing statements.

ABOUT THE SERIES: "ATTACK OF THE COLLATIONAL FORMULA"
When librarians and booksellers describe books, they often include a collational formula. What do these formulas mean? How do they work?

Collational formulas are designed to describe the book as it was produced by the printer, before covers or anything else was added. Knowing how to read them can unlock a new aspect of the book for you: how much paper was used? How was it folded? How was the book put together? Bibliographers use this information to identify editions and sometimes how the book was used as well.

In this video series, we will walk you through how to read these descriptions so that the next time you find one, you can use the information it contains. Each video covers a different part of a collational formula, moving through it in sequence from start to finish.

Credits:
Written and performed by John Henry Adams
Photography, editing, and visual design: Joseph Sabo
Production design: Caleb Ashlock
Produced by MU Libraries Special Collections and the Digital Media & Innovation Lab
Funded by the Bibliographical Society of America