label
note attached to an object that identifies it
laicism
rejection of the influence of the church on the state and the public school system
laid paper
paper produced by hand from a dipping vat or with a cylinder paper machine
laissez-faire
from the French, "leave things as they are", non-intervention
lamination
full-surface bonding of several layers of thin material
lamination
to coat with a protective transparent film material
lampoon
small polemic paper or diatribe, usually covering current topics from the areas of science, religion or politics
large-print edition
editions in which the text is printed in a larger font to facilitate easier reading
laser print
laser printer output which matches the content if not the quality of the definitive version
Latin alphabet
Latin script consisting of capital letters with a vocal repertoire that has been modified from the Greek alphabet
Latin script
script based on the Latin alphabet, which is now the most widespread
lay
person who does not belong to the clergy or who is external to a particular profession
layflat binding
a type of binding that allows books to lay flat when open without damaging the spine; useful e.g. for cookbooks, music books
layout
design of printed products with regard to format, page layout, fonts, white space and the relationship between text and image
layout programme
software for computer-aided design and production of high quality publications
leading
additional vertical distance inserted between lines of set text
legal deposit
the deposit of statutory copies to the national library, the relevant regional library or university library, regulated by law
legal right of use
the exclusive or non-exclusive right to distribute or use copyrighted media
legibility
in typography, the question of legibility of text design and layout
legislature
the branch of a state empowered with enacting, amending and repealing laws
lending library
organisation that rents or sells books and other media out of economic interests
Leopoldina
designation of the National Academy of Sciences, founded in Schweinfurt and now based in Halle an der Saale
leporello (concertina fold)
a book assembled by multiple zig-zag folding
letter
a single character of an alphabetic script
letter of enfeoffment
written confirmation of an enfeoffment
letter painter
occupation dealing with the decoration of small-scale printed matter, depictions of the saints and playing cards with ornamentation and figures
letter width
actual width of a character
lexicon
reference book or dictionary
Libell(us)
the term for a small document in Roman law
liber chronicarum
known in Germany as the Nuremberg Chronicle written by Hartmann Schedel, in print from 1493
liberal arts (artes liberales)
in antiquity and the Middle Ages, these encompassed grammar, rhetoric, dialectics, arithmetic, music and astronomy
library
systematically classified collection of books or the institute created for it, together with its correspondent buildings
libretto
booklet with the text of an opera
license
partial transfer of rights of use, publication or exploitation on payment of a license fee
lien register
official book from the feudal system documenting the issuance of fiefdoms
ligature
several letters of a document visually and formally connected so that they form a unit
light fastness
stability of colours even in strong sunlight and high levels of ultraviolet radiation
lignin
a strong organic polymer stored in the plant cell wall which leads to yellowing in wood pulp based paper
line
denotes total of all characters on a line
line length
length of a set line
line spacing
the distance between two lines of text, one below the other, as measured from base line to base line
linen tester
strong magnifier for checking register and grid pattern
linotype
a form of compositing for metal type, which delivers ready closed, complete lines
literacy
feature of a society where reading and writing are the decisive characteristics of communication
literal mistake
term used by typesetters and printers to denote a letter from a different font occurring in a sentence
liturgical books
books intended for use in worship
long grain
when paper is cut along the grain parallel to the longer dimension of the sheet
longseller
look or other cultural product that sells consistently well over a long period
looted art
cultural goods that have been permanently stolen from the rightful owner during or as a result of acts of war
Louis d’or
the main gold coin introduced in France in 1640 which retained its importance until 1794
Luddite
Disaffected English workers who destroyed machinery between 1811-1816 and became known as Luddites
Luther Bible
the transmission of the New and Old Testament in the German language begun by Martin Luther in 1521
luxury
beyond the usual standard, often considered a wasteful expense of high symbolic and material value
luxury edition
book edition designed as a presentable show piece, with an elaborate book cover and book decoration
LWC paper
a double-sided, coated, wood containing paper having a maximum weight per unit area of 80g/m², which is printed from the roll
