What is the cover? Book cover

It would seem that the simple word "cover", which everyone has encountered more than once, should not cause any difficulties. But if you try to answer the question: "What is the cover?", Many will have difficulties with the exact definition of this word.

History of appearance

So, what is the cover and how did it come about? The history of its appearance is inextricably linked with the evolution of the book. Originally, there was no need for covers, since the first books were strikingly different from the modern volumes that we are familiar with. At first these were sheets of papyrus, which were glued together into long scrolls, birch-bark letters and clay tablets. All these materials had one big drawback: they were fragile.

By the III century in Europe, they began to use more convenient material for writing, which could be bent - parchment. Earlier, codes appeared - the media most close to the modern book . The codes already used a cover, which was made of durable material.

The more difficult the production of books became and the more information they could store, the more acute the need to protect their contents. With the advent of the manuscripts, the value of books increased. The process of manual manufacturing, expensive materials made medieval manuscripts priceless. The books were so expensive that only very rich people could afford them. What is the cover in the Middle Ages? These were wooden planks, which were stapled with manuscript sheets and glued a piece of leather on top. Then the book was enclosed in an expensive salary, adorned with jewels.

After the appearance of paper in Europe, the cover of books began to acquire the usual modern look.

What is Cover - Definition and Types

This word is called covering the book and its design. The cover can be soft or hard. Usually, paper or cardboard is used for its production.

What is the cover? This is not only the protection of the book from damages, but also the reader's way of obtaining information about it: the title of the work and the name of the author.

Do not confuse the cover and binding of the book - these are different concepts.

What is the cover of the book for?

Almost everyone knows the answer to this question - from younger schoolchildren to the older generation. This is the protection of snow-white and fragile books from the adverse effects of the environment, and mechanical damage.

But even the most solid cover of the book will not save her from spoiling, if you treat her with carelessness. It is enough to drop it from a height on a hard surface, and you can cause serious harm to both the cover and the pages of the book. If you take care of the book and use it carefully, it will look like a brand new for many years.