Oak Knoll Press

Oak Knoll is the preeminent publisher of books about books. If you’re reading this site, then I am pretty sure you are already familiar with Oak Knoll Press. I have not heard how they were in the early days (starting in the late 19070s), but for the past ten years, since I have been following their output, their books have been stellar. 

Oak Knoll Press started a couple of years after Oak Knoll Books opened its doors. The shop specializes in used, new and rare books on books. Their site is so much fun to scroll through.

When you visit their website, pay attention to all the categories and rabbit holes you can fall into: book collecting, book history,bookselling, bibliography, libraries, publishing, private press printing, fine printing, bookbinding, book design, book illustration, calligraphy, graphic arts, marbling, papermaking, printing, and typography

They have thousands of books in these categories that they have published over the past 45 years. These folks get it. 

I am passionate about home libraries. One of their more recent books is the wonderfully researched THE PRIVATE LIBRARY: THE HISTORY OF THE ARCHITECTURE AND FURNISHING OF THE DOMESTIC BOOKROOM by Reid Byers. Now in its third printing with corrections, Byers’ book covers everything from the history of bookshelves, home libraries, the impact of libraries on culture, and so much more. The Private Library is the book that accurately captures what the whole Oak Knoll publishing program can do.

Oak Knoll Press is housed in the same building as Oak Knoll Books (which is most definitely a bucket list shop and the subject of a future post), called the Opera House, built in 1879 in New Castle, Delaware, along the Delaware River. You can see some photos here on their photo tour page.

I highly recommend subscribing and keeping up with Oak Knoll Press’ catalog of offerings. They are so much fun to look through, whether you’re buying or just dreaming.