Title says it all. Is there a way to just copy a book completely?

Find a bookbinder who can do it is the easiest way.

edit: Or you could do it the harder way and copy it by hand into the new book

Bookbinders with Printing press can copy a book for just the comms to make the book (Hence the outlay, "Saving" a copy of the book on the press).

It takes magic ink, which also means that when the original is changed, so are all the copies. Only problem is sealed books, which can not be copied, which most library books are.

Although the librarian can copy em, I belive.

If memory serves, it makes additional copies for the library's use only. As in, instead of only one copy? There are two that can be checked out.

This is correct.

But the author and editor can checkout the original after the book is finished with the year-long publishing process and can then get copies made. They're only completely locked for the first year after they're in the library. I've done it before when I made a copy of that book on the Taint for Ixchilgal. Checked out the original, got a bookbinder to make a copy.

That creates a whole new version of the book though.

You sure? I'm pretty sure it just makes a copy.

Unsealing a book after it is published should normally result in a new version which may also go through prestige again

If you are just checking out the original without editing it, I don't think it should try to come out as a second edition

Unsealing is/was required for copying and allows editing, even if nothing changes that process still assumes a change may have occured and causes a second edition.

This is all off memory though, may have changed.

No, that's only if you edit it. If you just make a copy, it's just a copy.

I had Malicia and Catarin unseal books so I could get a personal copy and they never entered the reconsidering process on resealing

Yeah, I'm really sure (like 90%) that that sorta thing only happens if you make a change to the book. Otherwise, you just make copies.