What Is an Ex-Library Book? How Library Markings Affect Value

An ex-library book (abbreviated “ex-lib” in the trade) is a book that was previously owned by a library — public, academic, or private — and has been deaccessioned (removed from the library’s collection) and sold or given away. Ex-library books carry institutional markings that identify them as former library property: stamps, labels, card pockets, security strips, and classification numbers. These markings permanently disfigure the book, and in the eyes of most collectors, they render the book significantly less desirable.

Common Ex-Library Markings

Stamps

Libraries stamp their books for identification and ownership. Common stamp locations:

• Title page: A large ownership stamp, often in blue or black ink
• Copyright page: A smaller accession stamp with date
• Page edges: Stamps on the fore-edge, top edge, or bottom edge
• Inside boards: Ownership stamps on the front or rear pastedowns
• Text pages: Scattered stamps throughout, sometimes on every 50th page

Library stamps are ink-based and essentially permanent. While some can be lightened with chemical treatment, complete removal is rarely possible without damaging the paper.

Spine Labels

Libraries affix classification labels (call numbers) to the spine of the book. These labels identify the book’s location in the stacks. The labels may be:

• Paper labels applied with adhesive
• Printed directly on the spine
• Embossed or stamped into the cloth

Removing spine labels often leaves adhesive residue, ghost marks, or bare patches where the label protected the cloth from fading while the surrounding area faded.

Card Pockets and Date-Due Slips

Traditional libraries pasted a paper pocket on the inside of the rear board (or occasionally the front board) to hold the circulation card. The card pocket was accompanied by a date-due slip pasted to the facing endpaper. These elements involve adhesive that bonds to the pastedown, making removal difficult without damaging the endpaper.

Security Strips

Modern libraries often insert electromagnetic security strips between the pages or in the spine. These are thin metallic strips that trigger alarms at the library exit. They are sometimes visible as a slight bulge in the text block.

Barcodes

Modern library systems use barcodes — adhesive labels with machine-readable codes — applied to the inside of the front or rear board, or to the dust jacket.

Perforation and Embossing

Some libraries perforate or emboss pages for ownership identification. Perforated pages (small holes punched in a pattern) are the most damaging library marking — they physically destroy the paper and cannot be repaired.

Dust Jacket Lamination

Many libraries laminate dust jackets with clear adhesive film to protect them from handling damage. Lamination permanently alters the jacket — the film cannot be removed without destroying the jacket’s surface. A laminated jacket, regardless of its condition, is worth a fraction of an unlaminated jacket.

How Ex-Library Status Affects Value

The Discount

An ex-library copy of a collectible book is typically worth 50–80% less than a comparable clean copy:

• A book worth $500 in Very Good condition might be worth $100–$200 as an ex-library copy in the same physical condition
• A book worth $5,000 in Fine condition might be worth $500–$1,000 as an ex-library copy

The exact discount depends on the severity and location of the markings, the scarcity of the book, and the preferences of the buyer.

Why the Discount Is So Large

Permanent disfigurement. Library markings cannot be fully removed. The book will always show evidence of institutional ownership.

Aesthetic impact. Stamps, labels, and pockets are visually intrusive. They disrupt the clean appearance that collectors value.

Collector convention. The rare book market has established a strong convention against ex-library copies. Many collectors refuse to buy them at any price. Many dealers refuse to stock them. This convention limits the buyer pool, which depresses prices.

Condition hierarchy. Ex-library copies are, by convention, graded below even “Good” condition regardless of the book’s actual physical state. A book that would be Fine except for a single library stamp is not graded as Fine — it is graded as ex-library, which places it in a separate and inferior category.

When Ex-Library Copies Are Acceptable

Rare or Scarce Books

For genuinely rare books — books where clean copies almost never appear on the market — an ex-library copy may be the only available option. A collector who needs a copy of a book with a print run of 200 copies may not have the luxury of waiting for a clean copy.

Reading Copies

If you want to read a book rather than collect it, an ex-library copy offers the text at a lower price. For research, reference, or personal reading, the markings are irrelevant.

Placeholder Copies

Some collectors acquire ex-library copies as “placeholders” — inexpensive copies that fill a gap in the collection until a better copy can be found. This strategy makes sense for scarce titles where clean copies appear infrequently.

Institutional Libraries and Special Collections

Copies deaccessioned from notable libraries or special collections may have provenance value that partially offsets the ex-library discount. A book from the personal library of a famous collector, or from a distinguished institutional collection, carries a documented history that some buyers value.

What to Look for When Evaluating Ex-Library Copies

Quantity and Location of Markings

A single discreet stamp on the copyright page is less objectionable than stamps on the title page, text pages, and page edges. Fewer and less visible markings mean a smaller value discount.

Dust Jacket Condition

If the dust jacket has not been laminated and is in good condition, the ex-library copy retains more value. A laminated jacket is worth very little.

Overall Physical Condition

Despite the library markings, assess the book’s physical condition normally. A book with one stamp but otherwise in fine condition is worth more than a book with multiple stamps and heavy wear.

Whether the Book Has Been “Washed”

Some sellers attempt to remove library stamps by washing or chemically treating the pages. While this can reduce the visibility of stamps, it often leaves telltale signs — bleached areas, watermarks, wrinkled paper. A book that has been washed to remove library markings should be disclosed as such.

Ethical Considerations

Disclosure

Sellers are obligated to disclose ex-library status. Failing to mention library markings — or, worse, attempting to remove them and selling the book as a clean copy — is fraud. Reputable dealers always note “ex-library” in their descriptions.

Buying Deaccessioned Material

Deaccessioned library books are legally owned by whoever purchases them from the library. There is no ethical issue with buying and reselling ex-library books, provided the library legitimately deaccessioned them (rather than the books being stolen from the library).

Removing Markings

Attempting to remove library markings is generally not recommended:

• Chemical removal of stamps risks damaging the paper
• Removing spine labels leaves adhesive residue or bare patches
• Removing card pockets damages the pastedown endpaper
• Undisclosed removal of markings before sale is fraud

Accept the markings as part of the book’s history, or purchase a clean copy instead.