Library Bookbinding

In addition to a good working knowledge of materials and processes the assistant in charge of this work should have a general knowledge of books-paper, editions, prices, lite

e demands of this department of library service, and for economy's sake as well a

it is that binding assistants should know books. Credit for much of what here

he questions which the binding assistant must ask and decide before determining whet

made difficult by books which are in too good condition to throw away and in too poor condition to rebind. In such cases the decision must depend on the popularity of

ion should be to rebind. The binder can do a better job at this time than he can when the book becomes more worn, and the life of the book will be prolonged by prompt binding. If the assistant decides not to r

t it is the policy of the library to supply the demand for this book, and the book will be rebound as a m

he remaining copies. Let us take the case of a novel which has been withdrawn from circulation because it needs rebinding. The assistant looks at the record of circulation on the book card or pocket and discovers that last year the book was issued four times a month, while now it is issued only twice a month. He finds also that there are four other copies. These four copies should be sufficient to meet present demands, and the book in hand may be withdrawn. But suppose that further

k than it is to discard it and l

assured that the book's popularity is over, tha

, but which are very popular and not poor enough to be done away with altogether. It is sometimes the policy to supply only partially the demand for such books; sometimes to d

lue and will cancel it. In a large library an action of this sort would be unwise; in a small library the decision would depend upon the particular title. Most libraries keep a book of this particular class in order to supply the occasional demand for it. There are many books not written by men with the repu

ts which will meet these requirements are the volumes in Everyman's Library. In the original Everyman's edition these were entirely unsuited for library use, but in 1910 they were all put into a strong library binding. In the

to be rebound at a cost of $5.40. Before doing so, the list of Everyman's Library was consulted and it was found that the work could be obtained in that form in twelve volumes at a cost of $4.20, a clear saving of $1.20, or over 20 per cent. The work was seldom used, yet it was necessary

ort should never be rebound but should be discarded and a new copy purcha

s class of unused books are the works of Charles Brockden Brown. They are not interesting at the present time, but when first published were much read. Every student of Ame

n the case of small-sized books which have covers showing little evidence of wear, and which do not receive hard usage. The process of recoverin

ses of the kind. Perhaps the best solution is to wrap the book in paper, letter it with author, title and call number, and transfer it f

the same questions must be asked. In addition, howe

rlier edition. In the one case the book can be rebound with profit, in the other it is best to discard it and buy the latest edition. Some libraries keep all the editions of a book for historical purposes; but most libraries, especially the smaller ones, will do better to discard older editions when they are superseded by later ones. Sometimes a book has no later edition,

librarian never makes mistakes in acquiring books, still it is sure to happen that many books will outlive their usefulness, except as a part of the history or bibliography of the subject. Why should they be kept on the shelves when they are not used and ought not to be used? It cannot, of course, be admitted that the librarian makes no mistakes in acquiring books; every library in the country will show

ANG

of cases, however, collation is a waste of time, since good binders refuse to bind imperfect volumes. In the case of very valuable books, especially those with many plates, and even in the case of less valuable books which have many illustrations not paged-in, it may be best to collate at the library since it is obviously unfair to the binder to expect him to be responsible for anything except the main paging. Fiction or juvenile books may s

rper's, Century, etc., where the library has only one copy which it binds. Since periodicals frequently become torn and

f there were little chance to go astray in doing this, yet the vagaries of periodicals are innumerable and nothing must be taken for granted. If only five monthly numbers are found when there should be six to complete the volume, it is not best to conclude hastily that it is incompl

ements are omitted the volume is incomplete. An example of a periodical of this class was the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, before it changed to its method of issuing each number as a separate volume. Many volumes of English periodicals such as All the Year Round, Household Words, etc., have been bound without the Christmas supplements, which those periodicals al

wn. Perhaps the table of contents of the last volume in which part of it has appeared will call for it as a supplement to that volume. Perhaps it does not. In any event the paging must be removed from the first and succeeding volumes until the monograph is finally complete. If it is not called for by any regular title-page or table of contents, it may be bound separately. Sometimes a periodical will appear in

rs having a different color from the

ertising pages of one or two numbers a year in each periodical. Other libraries should throw them away. It is not necessary to remove them entirely before sending

unfinished in the main paging and continuing them on advertising pages. This is an annoying practice since great ca

hese are scattered through the text they may be allowed to stay there, but if they are grouped together a

lume; some at various times during the publication of the succeeding volume. Some publish a title-page at the beginning of the first number of a volume and an index when the spirit moves. Some publish a title-page but no index or table of contents. Others publish a title-page and table of contents but do not send them un

and this should be done as soon as possible after the volumes are complete; (b) in which number of a periodical title-p

wrapped in paper it is highly important that title-pages and indexes be in

ately, the present tendency is almost wholly the other way. Many periodicals, for years published in a comfortable octavo size have been changed to a much larger size. This in itself is exasperating, but in addition the publish

which may be inserted later if they are obtained. This method makes it possible to put a volume into permanent form better suited for use than unbound n

er that a complete volume makes a very thin book. In such ca

hese must be bound for permanent preservation. In small libraries the annual reports of all local organizations should be bound if funds permit, others wrapped in paper and lettered on the wrapper

IONS TO

p, giving on one side the different materials, colors, etc., and having the other divided into panels for lettering. A slip is made for each book and the binder follows it carefully. Some libraries arrange an arbitrary system with the binder making one letter or figure indica

all number may be put on a binding slip enclosed in the book, or in the case of fiction and juvenile books, it may be penciled lightly on the title page, thus doing away altogether with the binding slip. If there i

ull the title, dates covered, volume number and call number, if one is used. The slip goes to the bindery with the book, and when the volume is returned is filed so that when the next volume is to be bound the slip can be consul

riodicals should be made, to be kept

be kept on file so that when another volume of the set comes to hand it will not be necessary

lettered and keeps it on file at the bindery. This can easily be made by laying a sheet of thin, but tough, paper over the back and rubbing it with shoemaker's heel-ball which w

e or size occurs. Large college or reference libraries may need dummy backs for their numerous sets of foreign periodicals having various marks, such as umlauts, etc., over or under letters. When a library operates its o

TER

formation must have. There are differences of opinion as to the best ways of lettering, but it is essential that every librarian have uniformity in his own library,

of ownership. Paneling is a useful device in the case of books which are eight inches or more in height, but in the case of juvenile books and fiction it may be omitted entirely. As most of these books require simply author, title

ves will outnumber the rebound books, it is advisable to put the title first in order to have uniformity. On the other hand, it can be claimed that the arrangement under the class is by author, that most library assistants look for

tems will be put on with sufficient space between to make them independent of each other. The bottom of the call number should be 1-1/4 or 1-1/2 inches from the tail of the book on all books in the library, except oversized books,

tter, author and title of the secon

place the author's name in the first panel, general title in the second, volu

used, each item is

authors (Fig. 19). For pseudonyms use the form adopted by the cataloging department. For example, if the catalog entry is under Clemens instead of Twain, letter Clemens on the book. Bot

nglish form. Names of government departments, bureaus, etc., should be inverted if necessar

inctive, in other words, to use a binder's title. If it is necessary it should be done with care and discrimination. Ord

ent cities should have the name of the place of t

title in the third panel when a periodical is issued in two or more parts and each part bound separately with a distinct title page. With this exception, leave the third panel vacant and letter date and volume number in the fourth panel. Place first the months covered by the volume, followed by the year (Figs

dates and total volume number, placing underneat

book, bind it in two volumes and letter the exact months in each part,

in one give the inclusive

re indexed in Poole's index or the Readers' guide, the volume numb

cilitates reading on the shelves, since shelves are naturally read from left to right. In lettering lengthwise place t

helved on their sides should al

word "Index" in the fourth panel, followed by the in

d of one of the volumes, place the word Index and the inclusive volu

be solved satisfactorily if it be remembered tha