Local Supplies & Services

Although principally a bindery, Pettingell's at 2181 Bancroft Way in Berkeley, 510.845.3653, has a small retail area with high quality bookbinding supplies, such as needles, thread, linen tapes, bone folders, binder's board, book cloth and more.

Just a few blocks from the Center is Arch Art Supply, an excellent store for papers and art supplies. It's at 99 Missouri Street in San Francisco, 415.433.2724.

Flax is a terrific place for paper, art supplies and more. It's at 1699 Market Street in San Francisco, 415.552.2355.

A few blocks to the east, you'll find another useful emporium for art supplies, Pearl. It's at 969 Market Street in San Francisco, 415.357.1400.

Kozo Arts carries a small but gorgeous selection of decorative Japanese papers and book cloth. Located at 1969 Union Street in San Francisco, 415.351.2114, it specializes in custom boxes, photo albums, guest books, journals, picture frames and invitations.

The Caning Shop, at 926 Gilman Street in Berkeley, 510.527.5010, has an excellent stock of 4-ply waxed linen thread, 100 yards per spool, available in dozen of colors.

To get your guillotine or board shear blades sharpened, try Sartor Saw Works, 250 Bayshore Blvd, SF, 415.282.6093, or Quality Saw Works, 1 Loomis St, SF, 415.282.3060.

Need an embossing die made for stamping text or a design onto a book? Contact Bauer Engraving in Rancho Cordova, 916.631.9800.

For local bulk quantities of PVA (five gallon minimum), try Adhesive Products at 520 Cleveland Avenue in Albany, 510.526.7616.

Hida Japanese Tool, at 133 San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, 510.524.3700, carries stones for sharpening leather-paring knifes.

Dave Paling, aka The Tool Guy, may have just the used bookbinding tool you need. Located at 227 Ney Street in San Francisco, 415.334.7295, he carries tools for other crafts and purposes, as well.

M&H Type (mandhtype@arionpress.com) in the Presidio of San Francisco at 1802 Hays Street, 415.561.2546, casts type and sells a wide variety of fonts, ornaments, borders, spacing and more.

The Art Store at 1414 Van Ness in San Francisco, 415.441.6075, also has stores in Berkeley and Oakland.

University Art has stores in San Francisco (128 Spear Street, 415.974-1444), Palo Alto, San Jose, Sacramento and West Sacramento.

Another Room bookstore is the only Bay Area bookstore, and one of only a few in the United States, dedicated to artists' books. At Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Avenue, Alameda, 510-865-5060.

Web Resources

The Book Arts Web has an extensive list of links and resources and a gallery of book arts exhibits.

The Pacific Center for the Books Arts is a member-service organization committed to providing members opportunities to show their work, socialize with other practitioners of the book arts, and learn from their peers. Members include calligraphers, custom binders, printmakers, conservators, and many others. They publish a quarterly journal about the book arts, Ampersand.

The SFCB Equipment Exchange Bullegin Board is an exchange for book arts equipment and supplies available in Northern California. It's free to post to buy or sell presses, equipment, and supplies.

Resources for Kids' Bookmaking
Click here for a list of local suppliers, books and web resources especially for kids, families and teachers.

Mailing Lists

Book_Arts-L:
A discussion group for all book arts. You can join this group by sending the message "subscribe Book_Arts-L Your Name" to listserv@listserv.syr.edu. You can also search the archive of past mailings.

TYPO-L:
Discussion of Type and Typographic Design. The home page for the list is here where you can read a FAQ, see the archive and subscribe to the list.

PAPER-L:
A discussion group for paper. You can join here as well as read and search the archive of messages.

LETPRESS:
Letterpress Discussion List. You can subscribe here as well as view and search the archive.

CALLIG List:
A discussion group for calligraphy. You can join this group by sending the message "subscribe" to callig-request@calligraph.com

Other Book Centers

Center for Book Arts in New York

Columbia College Chicago Center for Book & Paper Arts

Los Angeles Book Arts Center

Minnesota Center for Book Arts

University of Iowa Center for the Book

Pyramid Atlantic

Ashville Bookworks

Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild (CBAG)

Book Arts UWE Bristol, England