Margit Smith

Margit Smith is a professional librarian with responsibility, among other things, for the preservation of materials at Copley Library at the University of San Diego. She has 30 years experience in bookbinding and book repair and was trained by experts in the field both in the United States and in Europe. In addition to bookbinding, she is experienced in the preservation of paper and the construction of historical models of ancient book formats. She has lectured to various groups on the history and development of books and taught bookbinding in her studio for many years.

Margit is especially interested in teaching interested personnel who are responsible for the physical condition of books in libraries, special collections, and private collections, that early repairs can be carried out efficiently, with few materials and tools, and at a cost below that of replacing the books. Prevention of more serious damage to a collection is the first step to assuring its physical health for the future.