Ex libris (
Latin: from books) is a special mark on
the inside of a book cover denoting its owner.
It used to be printed out directly on the book, but nowadays it can be found also as a sticker.
The origins of ex libris go back centuries ago when books were rare and
expensive. The owner of a book (usually an institutional library) used to
proclaim the ownership of it.
An ex libris often displays some symbols, as well as a proverb, a sentence or a drawing signifying an idea which the owner wishes to be linked to.
See also : lithograph.