Reading logs
Reading log bookmark
By BiblioFiend · Last updated
Sections6
Preview the reading log bookmark
One bookmark: two by seven inches after cutting
Book title: ____________________
Started: __________ Finished: __________
Books-read notes: ____________________
____________________________________
A reading log bookmark keeps a small record inside the book you are reading. These original files place four bookmarks on each sheet. Each finished strip measures two by seven inches, or 50.8 by 177.8 millimeters. Start with the single-sided PDF; it needs no duplex printer and gives each bookmark its own writing fields.
Print at actual size or 100 percent. Measure the one-inch calibration line before cutting. Four long strips fit down the sheet, so the layout does not need four two-inch widths squeezed across A4. The outline is the cutting edge. If your printer cannot keep the full outline at actual size, use a print service or a larger sheet instead of shrinking the bookmark.
Printing the reading log bookmark at size
Open the file in a PDF reader, select the matching paper size and turn off Fit or Shrink. Print one plain-paper copy first. A ruler should show one inch, or 25.4 millimeters, between the scale-line ends. The long cut edge should measure seven inches. Check both directions if a driver offers separate scaling settings.
Cut along the outer rectangles after measuring. Keep the labels inside the edge. The strips print sideways on the paper but become the same two-by-seven-inch bookmark when you turn them. Ordinary paper is enough for a trial; check your printer's supported stock before feeding heavier card.
Single-sided or duplex
The default sheet has four complete fronts. Use a blank back for extra notes, with no alignment task. The optional duplex file has a second page of note fields in matching rectangles. Printer feed paths differ, so the correct flip setting cannot be promised for every machine.
Print the two duplex pages on plain paper first. Hold the sheet to light and compare the rectangles. If the backs are upside down, change the duplex flip edge and repeat on a fresh test sheet. A small feed shift is normal on some printers. If a label approaches a cut line, keep the single-sided version rather than reducing the whole sheet.
Fields and a fictional example
Write the current title at the top, then a start date if you want one. Add the finish date only when it is known. The small books-read area can hold later titles, reread dates or a page reference you want to revisit. You can leave every personal detail off a bookmark you lend with a book.
A fictional example would read: The Blue Window; started October 2; finished October 11; liked the letter in the final chapter. This is invented sample text, not a claim about a published book or a real reader. Keep your own note shorter if the bookmark needs to stay uncluttered.
FAQ
Must I print both sides?
No. Choose the single-sided file for the simplest cut-and-use sheet. The reverse can stay blank. Duplex is an extra option for more notes, and the test sheet matters more than any assumed flip setting. The bookmark's reading fields work fully without a back page.
Can I make it smaller?
You can choose a smaller personal copy, but it will no longer be the stated finished size. For a true two-by-seven-inch bookmark, keep actual-size printing and check the scale line. The regular reading log gives more space if small handwriting is the main problem.
Reading log bookmark verdict
The single-sided reading log bookmark is the easiest starting point: measure, cut and keep the strip with your book. Try the duplex version only after checking alignment.