Between the Pages: Life of the humble bookmark.

 Bookmark.

 

 

"Hello! Are you going somewhere? I'm sorry, you cannot

continue to read.  Don’t you want to mark the page so that when you return, you can pick up where you left off and not waste your precious time searching for it? Use me, I say."

Yes, me, your bookmark.

Let me tell you something about myself.

I come from humble beginnings. I’m not made in some large factory, but more often, I’m crafted from a scrap of paper, a strip of card, or a piece of ribbon. Sometimes, I’m homemade, all fancy and pretty, sporting tassels, and often I’m just a bus or train ticket or a receipt.

Today, you may find me in a new avatar, namely a ‘magnetic bookmark.’ As a magnetic bookmark, I’m small and foldable, fitted with an inside magnet that clips to a page, preventing me from slipping out.

As a bookmark, magnetic or otherwise, I find myself stuck in a novel, a cookbook, a textbook, or a manual. I’ve travelled with you across lands and oceans; I’ve seen you laugh and cry, grow inspired, and stay motivated.

I’ve also been lost—left behind in a library book, a hotel room, under a bed or behind a sofa, or been replaced by dog-eared corners. When you purchase a book, I may be gifted to you as an accessory, quietly waiting between the pages.

I'm small and unassuming and content to live my life doing my job, helping you return to your story.

My origins are really old:

The term "bookmark" has its origins in the 6th century, and one of the earliest known examples was a strip of leather attached to a codex, found in an Egyptian monastery. Before page numbers were standardized, bookmarks were an essential accessory for readers.

Over the centuries, bookmarks have evolved in purpose and design. In the Middle Ages, they were called bookmarkers or registers and were fashioned from strips of parchment or vellum. By the 15^th century, silk ribbons sewn into the binding served as bookmarks.

During the Victorian and Edwardian eras, bookmarks took on an artistic hue, with designs embroidered, tasselled, printed, or even made of silver or ivory.

Libraries used them to teach children how to handle books with care.

Do any of your bookmarks bring back memories of your favourite books or stories? 

 This post is part of the Blogchatter A2Z challenge 2026