I’ve seen a great variety of approaches to reinforcing paperbacks – some more successful than others, and some more labor intensive than others. With all of these techniques, however, the results are always better when the reinforcing material was applied with care and attention to detail.
The weakest part of a paperback is that its cover, being nothing more than paper, is easily damaged, so anything to strengthen the cover will increase the books durability.
The simplest thing is to run a strip of clear “book tape” along the spine. This helps protect the book at some of its more vulnerable parts, the hinges.
You could also run tape along the fore edges, or the next step up which would be covering the entire book with a thin, flexible, clear self-adhesive Mylar or “contact paper”. This provides several types of protection. It keeps the cover from tearing, as well as providing some protections from spills, rain, etc. When covering the entire book with a product like this you have the option of trimming the protective material flush with the edge of the book, or folding it over onto the inside covers. I think folding it over is a better option – if it can be done with care and precision.
There are also clear paperback protectors that thick and stiff over the covers, but flexible along the spine. While I am not entirely opposed to this product, this is the one technique where I’ve seen an increased likelihood of the product causing damage.
Another reinforcing technique I learned while working as a student in a small academic library is cutting a thin press board the height and slightly narrower than the width of the covers and adhering them to the inside covers with double-stick tape. This technique, together with taping the spine creates a very durable book – but it is also the one that requires the most skills and supplies.
Finally, I’ll mention the CoLibri cover system which encapsulates the cover in a Polyester pocket. Nothing is adhered to the cover of the book – so it is the most “archival” of the approaches, but also the most costly. http://www.colibriusa.com/
I realize this is probably way more information than you were expecting, but I hope some of it was a little bit helpful.
kevin
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Kevin Driedger
Librarian for Conservation and Digitization
Library of Michigan
P.O. Box 30007
702 W. Kalamazoo
Lansing, MI 48913
www.facebook.com/conservation.at.lm
www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan
From: michlib-l-bounces@mail.mcls.org [mailto:michlib-l-bounces@mail.mcls.org] On Behalf Of Shanni Kerr
Sent: Monday, July 29, 2013 3:42 PM
To: michlib-l@mail.mcls.org
Subject: [Michlib-l] Paperback Reinforcement
Just curious, when you buy a new paperback book, do you reinforce with plastic on the outside? Do you reinforce the inside covers? What material do you use? Thank you for your help!
Shanni Kerr ICL
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