In general terms, a miniature book is defined as being no larger than four inches in any dimension. In most of the United States, only books under three inches are classified as a miniature. The Library of Congress is a bit more generous and includes books up to 12 cm in height. There are four size categories under the classification of a miniature: Macro Mini (measuring between 3 and 4 inches), a true Mini (measuring between 1 and 3 inches), a Micro Mini (measuring between ¼ and 1 inch), and finally the Ultra Micro Mini (measuring less than ¼ inches). These tiny volumes are often prized not only for their subject matter but also for their intricate craftsmanship. Miniature books can be made in a variety of processes including printing, hand printing, or in the case of the Ultra Micro Mini, modern nanotechnology.
Some miniatures were manufactured for convenience and portability, tucked into pockets or ladies’ reticules, while others were treasured for the novelty of miniature books, intended to delight and to be cherished by the owner. Miniature books can tell us much about the history of book printing and what was deemed most significant at different points in history. The more important the text, the more likely it was that a miniature form was printed. The text in the pages of miniature books was written by hand calligraphy, by lithography or letterpress.
While Rare Books and Special Collections does not have a dedicated collection of miniature books, it does have a rich sampling of miniatures spanning centuries. Our oldest miniature is a cuneiform clay tablet dated to around 2000 BCE. You can see this miniature and others in our exhibit on the fourth floor in Founders Library.
“A Matter of Size” features miniatures from our Books Arts, Private Press and Rare Books collections. Among these highlights you’ll see our tiniest book, He is Nothing but a Little Boy, measuring an incredible 1.9 cm.
Can’t get enough of miniature books? Check out the Miniature Book Society.
