Library Bookbinding

c documents, the number of items for binding alone reaches the surprising total of 171. Many of these are materials used in marbling, others indicat

th or leather) are used in binding. Furthermore, the strength of the book after it is bound will depend almost as much upon the materials used in its inner construction as upon those used in coverin

one item, except possibly sewing, to the long life of the book. We should therefore know the initial cost of different covering materials and the length of service which each material will give under differe

we consider that leather comes from a large number of animals, that there are a great many different kinds of cloth, that cloths and leathers can be obtained in a great variety of colors, there

AT

nned and made flexible. The best bookbinding leathers are those which are flexible both in the skin and on books, and the surface of which is

brary binding, are still used for the purpose in various parts of the country, so that librarians need

same kinds of leat

ly small, it is probable that the animals from which they were obtained were too young. On the other hand, the skins of very old animals should not be used, since the fibres of the skins have lost something of their flexibility and strength. They cannot be readily detect

stion that the skin from the female of some animals, not

United States. In general, it may be said that skins from animals inhabiting warm countries are more likely to be serviceable than those from the same kind of animals inhabiting co

parts of the same skin. That part of the skin which comes from the back of the animal is tougher than that wh

otted away almost entirely. In no way is the decay of modern leathers shown more conclusively than in a long file of the sheep-bound set of the United States Public Documents. The earlier volumes, covering the 15th Congress up to the 36th, will in general be found to be in a good state of preservation. About the ye

ittee was published in 1905, and a general knowledge of its contents is necessary for those who wish to know why leathers decay and how they may be preserved. Another valuable work which should be carefully studied is entitled "Leathers for libraries,"

n tannin, and more rapid in their action. Many of these tanning materials are

erials. The one called the pyrogallol group, which includes sumac, gall nuts and oak bark, is commended by the Committee of the Society of Arts. The other is called the catechol group and is strong

roved that such leathers prove most resistant to the evil effects of light, heat and gas. If a skin has been tanned with suma

ny decades, should be in this tannage. Those which will be discarded in a few years may be tanned in a less expensive manner. Even some of the quick,

rly, but leathers which last a short time may be suspected either of being im

f and sheep skins are imported into this country (England) from all over the world; some

nd other bleaching agents to produ

g materials, however, make darker-colored skins, which can be dyed only with dark colors. It h

cids for the purpose of developing the dep

ern bookbinding leathers. Having once been used, it can

tting of skins for prod

the skin are torn or cut off, and the part which remai

on leather, together with other met

timate and which do no harm. The danger in graining comes when the grain is embossed by means

souring and re-tanning of Ea

e kind of alkali, which also takes out much of the natural grease of the skin. They are then treat

natural grease or no

binder has to use such as he is able to obtain. No matter how much the librarian may insist upon leathers free-from-acid, he is

causes of decay quite within his power to avoid. They are the following, due to impro

ect su

ipes in the building. There is sure to be more or less leakage, and

o be very detrimental in libraries, si

mpness, which e

excess of 70° Fahrenheit is likely to dry u

leathers and stretch them in placing them on the books. When the leathers dr

is frequently sets up a fermentatio

junction with dampness, is

covered books are not kept in cellars or basements that are very damp, or where direct sunlight can fall upon them, and if the binder uses go

the meeting of the American Library Association at Pasadena in 1911. Mr. Chivers employed Mr. Alfred Seymour Jones, in England, to make tests which would show the tearing and breaking strain of various leathers. These natural qualities of leathers are obviously important, but too much stress must not be laid upon them. It is possible that a leather naturally strong and tough whe

w libraries practically all the books published previous to 1900 were bound in sheepskin, the lasting qualities of leathers is a question that affects law libraries more than any other. Dr. Wire, of the Worcester (Mass.) County Law Library, who has made a careful study of the problem, advises the use of vaseline or some other similar by-product of petroleum well rubbed into the leather with the bare hand and allowed to dry

vantages of Dr. W

rom three to five times, according to the conditi

d clothing at time of application; also when books are back on the shelves the care required to ke

eated in this way, demanding extra care lest, in an effort

n of the process

he most stout-hearted from using this method of preserving leather. Rebinding i

d in the Report of the Society of Arts, fr

the leather. A very moderate use of the wax, soap, and turpentine preparations made as shoe pastes, is also likely to be beneficial, and no doubt a special preparation might be made on these lines which would be still more suitable. Paraffin wax dissolved in benzine is also harmless, and the surface to which it has been applied takes a good polish with a flannel after drying. Professor Proctor has experimented with a finish introduced by the Berlin Aniline Company some years ago for coloured leathers, with apparently satisfactory results. The preparation is practically a very hard stearine soap with excess of stearic acid, and is made by b

ments have been carried on exclusively with law books. Whether the same processes could be used on books bound in morocco or pigskin is something that has not yet been determined. Most leather-bound books break first at the joint. The sheep bindings in a l

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ins of four animals only need be taken into consideration-the sheep, the cow, the pig and the goat. In England some experiments have b

in the text are those which pre

eps

century which are in a good state of preservation. Even the sheep of the beginning of the 19th century is frequently well preserved. Since 1860, however, the quality of sheep has greatly deteriorated. This is bad enough, but unfortunately sheep likes to masquerade under the name of morocco and other leathers of a better grade, so t

oak bark. Sumac, which is such a valuable tanning m

he hair sheep comes from India, China, South America and Africa, generally from mountainous districts. It has a much tougher fibre and is a better wearing skin than that of the wool sheep. Unfo

or binding law books. It is seldom used for anything except government

anned and dyed, they make a satisfactory leather for a time, but their life under the best of conditions seldom exceeds ten or twelve years. While this is true of good roans, it unfortunately remains true that i

t is a leather much used for commercial binding, but since the splitting process takes away a great part of the

wh

n, but the quality is much more uniform and it can be used advantageously for binding fiction and other books which will be much used. In its natural state (undyed) it can be used in place of law-sheep for law books, but has a tendency to become dark. It can be obtained in many colors. Since it is too thick a leather to be used in full thickness, practically all sk

since it is very thin and begins to disintegrate in less than five years. After it is on the volume it is hard to detect, so that some library b

disastrous effect of raising the price and lowering the quality. U

gs

is much less often imitated than the grain of morocco. If there be doubt of the genuineness of pig, soak a piece of the leather until it has absorbed a quantity of water, and then stretch it. If the grain pulls out, it is imitation; if genuine, the bristle holes still show plain

uitable for large than for small books, but inasmuch as several binders have used it successfully for years on small books, it may be taken for granted that it can be used with good results on all books, large or small, which are to receive hard usage. It needs c

o

t skins from other countries were tanned with sumac (originally a distinguishing characteristic of a genuine morocco), but the same name was applied so that we now have the paradoxical terms

from the colder countries make beautiful bindings; but the skins of goats from the hot countries, such as the interior of Africa, having short hair, while not so attractive in appearance, are tougher and wear longer. In addition to t

an excellent binding for large reference books which are constantly handled, for art books which must be attractively bound, and for some periodicals which are much used in reference

brary to use, especially when it must be conceded that in its wearing quality it does not equal that of some less expensive moroccos. Mr. Chivers' test showed that so far as tensile stren

ted. Under exposure to atmospheric conditions existing in many libraries its life may not extend beyond thirty years. In one library at least, where conditions of light and h

particularly attractive in appearance and is very poor in quality. It is used e

ethod of vegetable tanning not completely known at this time. While in appearance it is not so attractive as some other moroccos, because of blemishes due to carelessness in handling and to the imperfect removal of some of the h

it Persian sheep so poor in quality tha

lf

sed in the past for binding books for individuals. For this purpose it has, of late years, been crowded out by Levant morocco. It has a soft, smooth

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willow bark and filled with a preparation of birch oil which gives it its peculiar od

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ic Ocean. According to Mr. Douglas Cockerell and other binding experts in England, the skin is peculiarly suited for library use. It is reported to be a hard-wearing leather, tough and pliable, even in quality so that no part of the skin must

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me, and as far as the actual wear on flat surface is concerned, is perhaps better than any leather. It is, however, very susceptible to moisture, which makes it warp; and to light, which makes it hard and brittle. Since it is very

lly, noting the appearance of the grain, thickness of skin, flexibility, and softness of surface. Perhaps more money can be wasted through ignorance of t

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me kind of cloth. Without doubt the change is a wise one. Even the best of leather disintegrates in time under the action of heat, gas, light, etc., and to-day many a volume bound in leather ten or fifteen years ago has parted from its sides, necessitating rebinding or recovering. Had it been bound in a good quality of cloth it would to-day be in good condition, and probably would remain in good condition for a hundred years. It requires considerable courage to change the binding of a good set of

ly on very heavy books, soils easily and with use grows soft and flabby, especially along the joints. But on the other hand even those not suitab

qualities of a

the same place, so that it may withstand the

atively small amount of friction when withdraw

nd constant rubbing ba

ight; if possible it should be fast to w

ed in the piece, not p

of them. So far as is known to the writer only the grade

ton, Del., and by the Winterbottom Company and the Manchester Book Cloth Company in England. Since a number of grades are made in several different patterns and a great number of shades for each grade and each pattern, a

across the cover. This, however, may entail some hardship on the binder for it may frequently happen that in order to cut his cover econo

neral names which can be used for the corresponding grade in all makes. Therefore for the purposes of this chapter these cloths will be considered under the heads of Grades 1, 2

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bound in leather; if this be done the corners should be covered with vellum, for this cloth does not withstand hard usage and is likely to fray at the corners. It is a cloth commonly used by publishers, but shoul

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made according to the government specifications (which will be discussed later), the different colors are not made, as one might suppose, by dyeing the cloth after it is woven, but by mixing the color with the sizing or starch which is used in finishing the cloth, and pressing it into the cloth by m

oth stiffened with glue or sizing, and the term originally indicated that the cloth was made of linen. At the present time linen buckram made in England can be obtained, but all that is manufac

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epository libraries to suggest, without considering cost, suitable binding materials for Government Documents. The number of replies received was 124, embodying suggestions as follows: full sheep, 11; half-russia, 78; cloth, 25; buckram, 70; linen duck, 20; canvas, 19. Some librarians expressed more than one

colors were fast when exposed to light. It is to be regretted perhaps that no tests were made to determine whether the cloths were fast to water and that this qualification was not included in the final specifications. Admitting, however, that a cloth which is fast to sun and water both is a valuable cloth for bookbinding, it

ippines where insects eat almost anything of an animal or vegetable character, t

cal tests

reads per inch

ption of

ght pe

sile s

nt of s

veloped by rubbing two p

en two others is an important matter when a shelf is full of books. If the fr

olded back and fort

extraordinary con

ratively unimportant, but the tests for all were severe and contributed much to our kn

d, a committee of librarians and government officials unanimously chose three samples as the best of all those su

acturers this defect was remedied. The Government Printing Office then advertised for bids on cloths which would meet the Specifications drawn up by the Bureau of Standards (See Appen

ancroft & Sons Company. The first two are made in pieces about 40 yards long and 38 inches wide, the Bancroft cloth in pieces 43 yards long and 43 inches wide. It must be admitted that this cloth is not quite so attractive in ap

u

It always makes an unattractive-looking volume-some of the more fastidious librarians rebel against its use; and it readily absorbs dirt and moisture, making it disagreeable to handle if the book has been much used. Duck having a double twisted t

l Moroc

sed in the United States resembles a straight-grained morocco. It is an excellent cloth in appearance, as well as in durability, but its cost is 50% greater than that of the

Proof

d, alkali and germ proof, do not absorb grease and can be washed with soap and water. They are strong, durable cloths, but they have at first a disagreeable odor, are hard to work and hard to letter in gold. In the application of paste to most waterproof cloths, either in the process of binding or in attaching labels to the back, it is first necessary to break down the surface o

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rgely in the hands of the binder, who must see that it is strong, yet flexible; not too poor in quality no

ones and are not usually so good. To prepare glue for use, soak small pieces in water over night and in the morning melt in the glue

xing glycerine with good glue. It has no special advantages for use by binders, but can

A

ed in mending

r. The paste should be fresh, for if it is not a certain fermentati

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are practically four grades of boards which are known as strawboards; binders, cloth or millboards; sem

l stages of manufacture. They are made in two sizes, 20 × 30 and 23 × 29 inches, and are put up in 50-pound bundles, the number of sheets in the bundle indicating the thickness of the board. The thickest is a No. 12 which has 12 sheets in a 50-pound bun

ave in their composition a certain amount of rags and hemp or naval cor

work. Many of them are allowed to season, in much the same way as lumber seasons, in order to prev

use a very good quality, though they sometimes use too thin a board on a heavy book, such as a newspaper or

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all these books to issue them in the strongest possible bindings, it is reasonable to suppose that linen would have been used if it were really the best for the purpose. The main reason linen thread has been advised for so long is because its tensile strength is much greater than that of cotton. On the other hand, it is just as true that what we may call the fraying resistance of a cotton thread is greater than that of linen. Take two threads of the same

s obliged to use some strength; for this reason tensile strength is an important attribute. Hayes' Irish linen thread is ge

rs will vary somewhat with the size of the book, but should never be lighter in weight than a 60-pound manila. Large libraries may find it desirable to have an end paper specially made for their own use. Tapes should be linen and not over three-eighth