Book holder

A book holder comprising:

• an elongated, flexible formed piece of material, the material having an elastic deformation characteristic so as to permit bending while remaining biased to an original position;
• a base formed from the material, the base having a first member substantially transverse to a second member and a third member substantially transverse to the second member, the first, second, and third members lying in a plane;
• a wall lying in the plane and extending from the first member to the third member;
• a first arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material, the first portion extending from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion extending obliquely from the first portion, the tip being on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion and having a loop formed from a section of the second portion;
• a second arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material, the first portion extending from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion extending obliquely from the first portion, the tip being on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion and having a loop formed from a section of the second portion;
• a panel extending from the first portion of the first arm to the first portion of the second arm;
• wherein the second portion of the first arm and the second portion of the second arm bend toward the plane such that the second portion of the first arm and the second portion of the second arm are concave to the base;
• and
• wherein when the material surrounds the book in an open position, the base contacts a cover of the book and the tip of the first arm and the tip of the second arm each contact a page of the book, and when the book is in a closed position, the base contacts a first side of the cover, the first portion of the first arm and the first portion of the second arm contact a middle of the cover, and the tip of the first arm and the tip of the second arm contact a second side of the cover.

A method of holding a book in an open position comprising:

• providing a book holder having a base formed from an elongated, flexible formed piece of material, the base having a first member substantially transverse to a second member and a third member substantially transverse to the second member, the first, second, and third members lying in a plane, a first arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material, the first portion extending from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion extending obliquely from the first portion, the tip being on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion, and a second arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material, the first portion extending from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion extending obliquely from the first portion, the tip being on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion;
• opening the book;
• positioning the book such that a cover of the book lies within the plane and the first arm and second arm extend from the cover to a first page and a second page of the book, respectively;
• placing the first arm and the second arm over the first page and the second page, respectively;
• and
• sliding the book holder onto the book such that the first portion of the first arm and the first portion of the second arm contact at least one of the page and the cover.

A method of holding a book in a closed position comprising:

• providing a book holder having a base formed from an elongated, flexible formed piece of material, the base having a first member substantially transverse to a second member and a third member substantially transverse to the second member, the first, second, and third members lying in a plane, a first arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material, the first portion extending from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion extending obliquely from the first portion, the tip being on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion, and a second arm, having a first and second portion and a tip, formed from the material, the first portion extending from the first member generally perpendicular to the plane and the second portion extending obliquely from the first portion, the tip being on an end of the second portion opposite the first portion;
• closing the book;
• positioning the base on a first side of a cover of the book;
• placing the first arm and the second arm over a second side of the cover;
• and
• sliding the book holder onto the book such that the first portion of the first arm and the first portion of the second arm contact at least one of a middle of the cover and ends of the cover.