Rescue a book

Each year we send around 10 books to an expert bookbinder to undergo conservation work. Please see this year’s list at the bottom of this page or pop into the Outer Library during January and February 2026 to see our ‘Rescue a Book’ display.

For over 200 years, the Library of the Devon and Exeter Institution has been a working library. From the outset, members borrowed books on the intellectual and scholarly pursuits of the Age of Enlightenment – science and discovery, natural history, botany, religion, history, travel and exploration. The Institution remains a living library; its collections underpin a vibrant programme of research and engagement activities for all ages. We are the custodians of the Institution’s past and the pilots of its future and we want its collections to continue to intrigue, inspire and inform generations to come – but there is much to do.

In a survey conducted in 2015, the National Preservation Office of the British Library estimated that around 70% of the Institution’s books are damaged and 40% are actively deteriorating. We are working with a local specialist bookbinder to prioritise books for repair.

Typically, the books on ‘Rescue a book’ list have loose or detached boards, damaged spines, weak sewing and torn pages and endpapers. Repairing them with minimal interference to the original structures is costly and painstaking work. The binder must choose materials, such as leathers and papers, that preserve the integrity of the books.

If you are keen to support our vital programme of conservation, and would like to give that little bit more, you can choose to rescue one of these books by completing the form at the bottom of the page.  If your preferred book is already rescued please do contact us and we will be happy to suggest another book for you – we have many that need your help! The minimum suggested donation is £150, as the conservation work for each book usually costs upwards of £200 per book.

What you’ll receive

In return for your donation, you will receive a certificate, and your name will be entered in our Benefactors’ Book. A personalised bookplate will also be placed inside the book that you have rescued, making you a part of the history of the Institution. Some people also rescue books in memory of a loved one.