Note 45 — Bookcases.
Reading edition
The Sizes of Books.—The Associated Librarians of Great Britain decided upon a uniform and arbitrary scale for the measurement and description of the sizes of books. In consequence of the many and varied sizes of papers now manufactured, the terms folio, quarto or 4to., octavo or 8vo., twelvemo or 12mo., and so on, as indicating the number of folds in the printed sheets, can no longer be relied upon as a definite guide to the sizes of books, hence the change, as follows:—
Large foliola. fol.over18 inches.
Foliofol.below 18"
Small foliosm. fol."13"
Large octavola. 8vo."11"
Octavo8vo."9"
Small octavosm. 8vo."8"
Duodecimo12mo."8"
Decimo octavo 18mo.is6"
Minimomo.below6"
Large quartola. 4to."15"
Quarto4to."11"
Small quartosm. 4to."8"