Repairing a paperback book binding

To repair a tear, use scissors to cut two sections of tape that are just longer than the tear. Bakerberry library our main library houses the humanities and social sciences collections. We have no minimums for our book repair and restoration services. Wrap the tape across the front cover, snugly around the spine of the book and across the back cover to its front edge. Pva glue is a liquid but they are not all the same. Our community of library professionals has shared so many great book care and repair tips with us on facebook and twitter, and now were sharing them with you. Book repair instruction, classes and book repair supplies. Book repair is the stuff they dont teach you in library school. Simple techniques for the maintenance and repair of books. Got an old book that has its pages coming apart and its stitches loosening up. We always cover our paperbacks with circextender before putting them into circulation. Followed by binding and rare book conservation training and career.

It is evident how much a book has been loved by how blemished or damaged it is. A page is coming loose from one of your paperback, trade paperback or. Glue options for perfect bound paperback books diy. How can i go about putting these pages back together without the use of glue. We offer a large variety of book restoration supplies to help you care for your books and keep them in. Is your favorite book falling apart or shedding pages or its cover. Whether an old and prized hardcover book or a inexpensive paperback, books occasionally need to have the binding repaired or replaced. Today im going to focus on paperbacks, since the methods for hardcover can be very different. Repair an old classic book rebinding i became interested in reading the old book moby dick because of a radio program where they discussed the qualities of the story. Can i use a thermal binding machine to repair and maintain.

Hard cover book binding and thesis binding from 1 to books any size. How can you patch up a paperback book thats falling apart. The advantage is that it completely rebinds the book so the old, hard, crumbly binding is irrelevant. We provide book repairs, rebinding and conversions from soft to hard covers. Book repair supplies glue, tape, and book repair tools. Book repairs, leather binding, book restoration and rebinding. How to repair a paperback book method 1 inserting loose pages. It is not easy to reposition paper with this glue but i have found that these types of thick glues work well on book cover repairs. It can also be applied to broken adhesive binding in paperback binding which is the subject of this discussion. Its a quality product that worth having on hand for damaged books. Book repair for hardcover books how to repair your. You reinforce spines, apply laminate or mylar book jacket covers, you even add an layer of protection to your labels. If you have just one item that you would like us to work on, we would love to fix that old worn treasure or newer binding that just hasnt held up.

Are there any thriftyfun tips out there to clean a soiled paperback book that also has creased pages and cover. Includes links to related sites, tutorials, images of bindings and book objects. Rebind a vintage paperback book man made diy crafts. I have listed here the techniques that are covered on this site and i do encourage you to seek the assistance of bookbinders if you are.

I buy certain reference books, sometimes they are used and the binding needs a little tlc. Book repair basics, book repair for paperback books when a page is damaged beyond repair or has been previously mended with clear plastic tape, it may have to be replaced to keep the book usable. As a library bindery, our day to day task is to repair and rebind existing books for libraries. Method 2 tightening a gap between the pages and spine. Bringing a wide variety of materials and experience for your restoration and repair needs anywhere in the usa.

If a page is missing entirely, the only option is to replace the page. Teaching kids how to care for library books goes a long way in protecting your collection. Well, take out your supplies, and follow the rebinding process in this chapter. There are three main types of glue adhesives used on book bindings, and while professional book binders have very specific preferences about which type is best, the choice can seem daunting for a novice.

Extend the life of a paperback book by making simple repairs with glue and tape. Do you have a trade paperback that has fallen on hard times. Place one end of the measuring tape even with the front edge of the front cover. Projects range from cherished childhood books, poetry, unique cookbooks, crossword dictionaries, favourite novels, out of print books, paperback to hard cover, slide cases, wraparound portfolios, and more. I bought a 4inch binder and filled it with pocketed divider pages. Set the spine of the book against foldedback edge of the backing paper with 1 inch of exposed contact paper extending beyond the top and bottom edges of the book.

Glue spine and cracked pages with neutral ph archival glue, bind, dry overnight, then tape with clear packing tape. Eileens tacky glue is thick and, just as it says, tacky. For more archival book repair lessons go to this lesson covers everything from double fan glue binding to splitting. Three basic book repair procedures 1 the book arts web. It can be the last option for damaged sewn books that are now. Our hard cover book binding department is in demand for the quality craftsmanship we provide in binding new books and theses, and repairing and restoring old books. If a single page has fallen out of your book and the binding is.

No wonder the three most watched demco youtube videos are from our collection care series. Marianne hanley, assistant conservator manages circulating collections rehousing and repair unit, trains and supervises workstudy. You get the strength of a new cover, but the look of what you remember your treasured book to be. Double fan binding technique can be introduced into both hardback and paperback book repair. How to repair a books binding method 1 reattaching loose pages. This is a large 8 12 x 11 drawing book that was often left open for referral, and as a consequence many of the pages had become loose. I have a newer book, new within the last ten years, and im wondering if i can restore the condition of the book without destroying it.

Find book repair glues and tapes, repair wings and corners, and book repair tools to get the job done. Study and meeting spaces book a meeting room for a group or sign up to use a private study room. Sadly she didnt notice that the binding spinecover. Using a book or binding glue can help you reattach pages that have come loose. I do book restoration and repair and binding on the side. How can i repair used paperback books and keep them out of the recycling bin. How do i repair a paperback book where the pages are loose and the cover. Hours and locations our hours, holiday closings, street addresses and contact information. Binding101 has it all whether you need to repair book spines, a library book, or anything in between.

Too many pages can vary from book to book, but generally more than 35 pages is too many. A firstedition copy with no damages is much more valuable than a firstedition copy with missing pages and broken binding. Place the tape on both sides of the tear, and smooth and press it down with a bone folder. Verheyen, head of preservation and conservation began with circulating collections repair while workstudy student at johns hopkins. How to fix the cover of a paperback book pen and the pad. Can i use a thermal binding machine to repair and maintain paperback books.

Repairing your paperback weve talked about saving your books from water damage but how do you repair books that are damaged in other ways. What other options are there to protect a rare title. Do this with the undamaged cover facing the exposed contact paper. I have an old paperback book that has no cover and now remains as just a crusty stack of pages with dried glue stuck to the edges. We can rebind in a strong new binding, but then peel the old front, back or spine or all three off the old binding and glue that onto the new.

We have all the diy book repair supplies youll need to save the day. Years of rough handling, careless falls, and countless careful readings all. My older sister bought an out of print book off of ebay for her kids this christmas. A stepbystep guide to book repair for beginners youtube. Here is a short video tutorial which demonstrates how to debind books using a hair dryer.

Book rebinding, repair and custom restoration services we offer quality custom book repair, rebinding, wedding album repair, bible rebinding, hand crafted journals and much more. The chelsea bindery show the processes of book binding duration. Youve offered enough detail here that im now confident to repair it. To fix this, begin by simply beading a light line of glue as closely to the spine seam or joint as possible. The hair dryer method is a fairly failsafe method of removing binding from books. The following list should help you decide which glue is best for the project you are working on. It can be the last option for damaged sewn books that are now too brittle to be mended and resewn. How to repair paperback books book binding, book repair. I was asked if i could repair a paperback book with a glued binding that had several of the pages falling out. Youve offered enough detail here that i m now confident to repair it. Gain triedandtrue book repair tips from your peers. It is important to repair a damaged paperback book as soon as possible, before the cover or individual pages separate from the spine and become. But the moment materials leave the shelf, danger lurks.

The binding, however, is completely broken, with the glue easily coming off. However, this is a destructive process which will destroy your book. I tend to buy sadlooking used paperbacks and though the. Hardcover books are more complex in their construction than most paperback books so the repairs can sometimes be more involved. My last repair was a zoology book from the mid 1800s that required resewing signatures and repairing pages. I could see drilling some small holes through the book and using heavy thread or light cord to bind the book. When repairing pages, i like to use one of brodarts book repair glues. If youve got loose or torn pages, a detached cover, broken binding, or dirty smudges all over your book, dont fret. So what should you do when you have a book that needs repairs. But when i went to all the bookstores, they only had drab dreary new copies of the book. Book repairs how to repair paperback and hardcover books. The book isnt exactly falling apart, but if you dont repair it now, it very well could be. You may need to take books apart for detailed scanning projects.

Paperback books are especially vulnerable to the wear and tear caused by voracious readers. Repair a paperback book book repair, paperback books. Book rebinding, repair and custom restoration services. Using a book or binding glue can help you reattach pages that have come loose from the book. Book repair for paperback books how to repair your. If too many pages are loose from the binding, the book should be resewn, sent to the bindery, or replaced. Step 1 call brother to save the day this step could be skip.