The PCS was started in 1974 by a small group of enthusiasts in Richmond, southwest London, who recognised the importance of Penguin’s contribution to publishing history, its innovations in book design and typography, and the role that its many thousands of published titles have played in influencing and educating generations of readers. While it is evident that this rich cultural heritage should be preserved for future generations, paperbacks, by their nature, are not hard wearing and many of them eventually get thrown away. The PCS is therefore committed to the acquisition and conservation of Penguin books and related material, which it regularly donates to the Penguin Archive at the University of Bristol. From an initial membership of 38 in 1974, the PCS now has around 500 members in countries throughout the world. There is no requirement for members to collect Penguin books and reasons for joining cover a wide range of interests. These include, but are by no means limited to:
The history of Penguin Books and other twentieth-century publishers.
The design and content of the books, including cover artwork, typography and boxed sets.
Promotional materials, publications catalogues and other Penguin ephemera.
The PCS is funded by annual subscriptions from its members and by sales of its publications to non-members. Research, writing, book production and all administrative duties are undertaken by trustees and other members on a voluntary basis. The PCS was registered as a limited company in 2001 and became a registered charity the following year. Its members usually meet twice a year, once being for the Annual General Meeting which is held at a different UK venue each year.
PCS publications
The PCS publishes a twice-yearly journal along with other titles in book form, some of which are listed below:
The Penguin Collector is the official journal of the Penguin Collectors Society and features articles, letters, news and other Penguin material, with many contributions coming from PCS members.
Drawn Direct to the Plate by Joe Pearson is a comprehensive study of Noel Carrington and the Puffin Picture Books .
A Checklist of the Puffin Picture Books and Related Series is a companion to Drawn Direct to the Plate and provides detailed printing information for all Puffin Picture Books, Puffin Cut-out Books, Baby Puffins, Porpoise Books, Livros Ilustrados Puffin, Collection du Vieux Chamois, other foreign-language Puffin Picture Books, and Harlequin Books .
Penguin Classics, edited by Russell Edwards, Steve Hare and Jim Robinson, provides a detailed history of the long-running Penguin Classics series, along with a fourteen-page checklist .
Penguin by Designers, edited by Steve Hare and Phil Baines, contains transcripts of presentations given by six Penguin designers - Derek Birdsall, Jerry Cinamon, Romek Marber, John Miles, David Pelham and Jim Stoddart - during a study day organised by the PCS at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum in 2005, along with a reprint of a 1967 article by Germano Facetti describing his work at Penguin .
The Penguin Companion, compiled by Martin Yates, is an essential reference text for students and researchers, with over 700 'A to Z' entries and a Reference Guide .
Penguin in Print, compiled by Tim Graham, is a bibliography of printed material about Penguin Books with numerous extracts and colour illustrations .
