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The gradual process in which the medieval commune of Dubrovnik developed into a classical city-state in the first half of the 16th century was related both to the outer and to the inner elements. Among the latter the most important role belonged to the establishment of a firm, reliable and well organised web of clerks. Since their work would have been impossible without a continuous supply of paper and parchment, the Government signed several contracts with various entrepreneurs who were undertaken to fulfil all such needs, including also the book binding. The primary sources always describe them simply as librarii. They were coming from various backgrounds, including native people and Italians, priests and laity, nobles and commoners. Although they had never formed a proper corporation, their profession enjoyed a particular status due to a relatively small, but regular income, their mutual connections (including education of apprentices) and particular professional knowledge they had, especially that of making parchment. The first decades of the 16th century witnessed to a severe restriction imposed to all civil servants, but since 1540s sources are particularly abundant with news concerning the parchment and paper supply. Therefore we traced the roots of paper from Venice and Ancona to Dubrovnik and, occasionally, to the Ottoman Empire afterwards. We are precisely informed about the prices, careers of several librarii who worked in a span of several decades and their mutual relations. Also, as there were various kinds of paper being supplied to the State offices, it is easily possible to perceive their value. Towards the end of the Republic the flourishing days gradually disappeared and 1790s brought just a single request from a local priest to learn the service of bookbinding in Rome. However, thousands of books kept today in the State Archives of Dubrovnik undoubtedly testify about the quality of the late librarii and their work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]