Why do notebooks have both an elastic band and a bookmark?

August 7, 2018 1:52 PM

Every notebook I've bought recently has both an elastic band and a fabric bookmark, like in this picture of a Moleskine. Why? I always just end up using the elastic band to keep my place. Is there any reason why I'd need two place markers?
posted by capricorn to Grab Bag (13 answers total)

Best answer: The elastic is to keep your notebook closed so your pages don't get smooshed/damaged/bent by other stuff in your bag.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 1:55 PM on August 7, 2018 [44 favorites]

Well the elastic band is to keep it shut in a bookbag, the marker is to actually mark the place.
posted by bbqturtle at 1:55 PM on August 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

Yes, I always used the elastic band to keep it shut. The marker was used as, well...a marker.
posted by buttonedup at 2:01 PM on August 7, 2018

I use the elastic band to hold a pen (by stretching it extra long and looping it around the outer corners of the notebook), but I agree that the general purpose of the elastic is to hold it closed.
posted by okayokayigive at 2:48 PM on August 7, 2018

Leuchtterm1917 notebooks come with two different coloured ribbon bookmarks as well as the elastic, so at least someone thinks that you might want to mark two places at once.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 3:00 PM on August 7, 2018 [3 favorites]

I use Leuchtturm notebooks and have found the second ribbon bookmark useful (in fact, I’ve also occasionally resorted to a third, separate bookmark), so don’t discount multiple bookmarks. But yes, the elastic is to keep the notebook closed when you carry it around.
posted by sailoreagle at 4:36 PM on August 7, 2018

If you were using the notebook as a reference as well as a record, you might have more than one entry that you wanted to be able to find quickly. For instance, if you had some notes on a briefing or walkthrough or whatever that you needed to be able to reference, but also you wanted to be able to find the first blank page quickly if you needed to take more notes.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:37 PM on August 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

I use those kinds of notebooks to hold other notes that I stuck inside the notebook.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:27 PM on August 7, 2018 [1 favorite]

they're for the cat to swat
posted by soakimbo at 10:49 PM on August 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

Nthing that using the elastic as a bookmark hasn't even occurred to me.
posted by Vesihiisi at 11:34 PM on August 7, 2018 [2 favorites]

I pull the elastic up and use it to hold a pencil along the top of the moleskin. The pencil has to be sharpened down so it fits nicely along the top and doesn't stick out to scratch things.
posted by Don Pepino at 4:07 AM on August 8, 2018

Best answer:

Leuchtterm1917 notebooks come with two different coloured ribbon bookmarks

I use one to mark my "week overview" page and another to mark my actual notetaking place, so yeah, super useful.
posted by uberchet at 6:31 AM on August 8, 2018

Response by poster: The elastic is to keep your notebook closed so your pages don't get smooshed/damaged/bent by other stuff in your bag.

Thank you. I have never had this problem but I accept that this seems to be the canonical answer. Also appreciate everyone who shared their unique uses for it!
posted by capricorn at 6:47 AM on August 8, 2018 [2 favorites]