Bookend

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

A black bookend.

A bookend is an object designed to keep a row of books upright by placing it at the end of the row, frequently in a bookcase. They are common in libraries and in publishing. If bookends are not used, rows of books may slant to a side. The simple metal bookend comprised of a single sheet of steel was originally patented in the 1870s. In the twentieth century, the library supplies company DEMCO retained the services of industrial designer Brooks Stevens to modernize their bookends. They and other library supplies companies experimented with new plastics in the 1950s, and 1960s, thereby expanding available colors.

Bookends can be an important consideration in home decor. Some of the more popular bookends are made of bronze, marble, wood and even large geodes.