In
stationery, a diary (UK and Commonwealth English), datebook, daybook, appointment book, planner or agenda (American English) is a small book contained a main
diary
A diary is a written or audiovisual memorable record, with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwritten but are now also often digita ...
section with a space for each day of the year with room for notes, a
calendar
A calendar is a system of organizing days. This is done by giving names to periods of time, typically days, weeks, months and years. A calendar date, date is the designation of a single and specific day within such a system. A calendar is ...
. Usually, various pages at the beginning and end contained various pieces of reference information, which may include maps and telephone codes, and pages for a short
address book at the end. Most diaries are pre-printed for a specific year on the cover. With each day's space, they were able to be printed with the day of the week. However, diaries that can be used for any year are also produced. Page-marker
ribbon
A ribbon or riband is a thin band of material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily as decorative binding and tying. Cloth ribbons are made of natural materials such as silk, cotton, and jute and of synthetic mate ...
s are commonly included. The US Customs official definition of a diary is: "A book prepared for keeping a daily record, or having spaces with printed dates for daily memoranda and jottings; also applied to calendars containing daily memoranda on matters of importance to people generally, or to members of a particular profession, occupation, or pursuit".
The main different sizes produced are the small pocket diary and larger desk diary, both of which come in many different sizes. Any size may be referred to as an appointment diary, especially larger diaries with pre-printed lines for each period in the day, as in the picture above. A large variety of layout formats are sold, including:
*page per day
*week per view/opening
*week per page
*month per view/opening
Often, as in the diary pictured above, weekend days are given less space than workdays. Small calendars of the current month, and if there is room, previous and following months at the bottom of the page are also typical.
Most diaries run from January to December, but school or academic diaries, also known as "mid-year" diaries, run for twelve months from shortly before the beginning of the
school
A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most co ...
or
academic year
An academic year, or school year, is a period that schools, colleges and university, universities use to measure the duration of studies for a given educational level. Academic years are often divided into academic terms. Students attend classe ...
. Many diaries are themed for different interest groups, and contain relevant reference information to that interest. Others are given as gifts by businesses. Especially in diaries for children or young people, many are now branded for fictional characters, authors,
recording artists or magazines.
The British stationery business now called the
Letts Filofax Group Ltd produced the world's first pre-printed diary in 1812, calling it the "Commercial Diary".
[Barker, Tom. ''Leadership for results: removing barriers to success for people, projects, and processes'', American Society for Quality, 2006, ,]
Google books
/ref> Printed diaries are now competing with loose-leaf personal organizer
A personal organizer, also known as a datebook, date log, daybook, day planner, personal analog assistant, book planner, year planner, or agenda (from Latin ''agenda'' – things to do), is a portable book or binder designed for personal manage ...
s and various electronic forms of diary functions on personal computer
A personal computer, commonly referred to as PC or computer, is a computer designed for individual use. It is typically used for tasks such as Word processor, word processing, web browser, internet browsing, email, multimedia playback, and PC ...
s, personal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant (PDA) is a multi-purpose mobile device which functions as a personal information manager. Following a boom in the 1990s and 2000s, PDAs were mostly displaced by the widespread adoption of more highly capable smar ...
s and mobile telephones.
See also
* Notebook
A notebook (also known as a notepad, writing pad, drawing pad, or legal pad) is a book or stack of paper pages that are often ruled and used for purposes such as note-taking, journaling or other writing, drawing, or scrapbooking and more.
...
* Note-taking
Note-taking (sometimes written as notetaking or note taking) is the practice of recording information from different sources and platforms. By taking notes, the writer records the essence of the information, freeing their mind from having to Reca ...
Notes
External links
*Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
br>Seven pocket diaries of Theodore Roosevelt
{{Authority control
Stationery
Notebooks