[5]See footnote, page 66.
[5]See footnote, page 66.
1. Books should be bound in full cloth.
2. Books in which the backs of sections are not injured, or which cannot be easily mended may be sewed regularly. The rest must be oversewed.
3. In all other respects the preceding specifications should be followed.
There is no place in a small library where good judgment will do more to make the library efficient at a minimum cost than in the binding of periodicals. The use of libraries for reference purposes is increasing and the use of periodicals is made easy by means of the periodical indexes. The enthusiastic librarian who wishes to answer all questions will be tempted tobind more periodicals than are really needed, thus impairing the efficiency of the book fund. On the other hand, to some the cost of binding may seem so great that some useful periodicals will remain unbound. But it is not necessary to throw away unbound periodicals. If they are to be used only now and then in reference work, it is a good plan to wrap them in stout manila paper with stiff boards on the outside, letter carefully on the back and file away on the shelves in their regular places among other periodicals.
Supplement the general specifications by the following:
1. Fly-leaves should be made of white book paper, 80 pounds to the ream, guarded with jaconet on both sides.
2. End papers may be made of special papers used by the binder, but it is wise to have a 100-pound manila guarded with jaconet on the outside and also on the inside of the fold.
3. First and last sections must be guarded with jaconet.
4. Books 10 inches in height should be sewed regularly on four bands or on tapes one-quarter of an inch wide; larger volumes on five bands or tapes. Sew all-along, passing needle through center of tapes.
5. A millboard as heavy as the weight of the book will allow must be used.
6. (a) Books should be bound in full cloth made according to the specifications of the Bureau of Standards. As light colors, which may be lettered in ink, show dirt very readily it seems better to usea dark color and letter in gold.
(b) In large reference or college libraries there are certain periodicals that receive constant use. It would be a mistake to bind such volumes in cloth, because no cloth will endure the wear that they receive. They should be bound in leather, preferably Turkey or Niger morocco. On no account should American russia be used.
7. If leather is used the sides should be covered with Bureau of Standards cloth.
Because newspapers are printed on wretched paper which it is freely admitted will disintegrate in a comparatively short time, the question when to bind and when to throw away is a hard one to decide. For the small library it is surely unwise to bind any except the local paper, which will be used from time to time for local history. In many cases it may be wiser simply to wrap the volumes to protect them from the light and file them chronologically. The librarian of the large library, however, no matter how disgusted he may be with the poor quality of paper used finds it necessary to bind a number of newspapers. When bound they will last twenty-five years or more, during which time they are sure to be used sufficiently to warrant binding.
Newspapers must be kept away from light, heat and moisture. If possible, keep in a dark closet until ready for binding. Publishers of local papers oughtto give a copy for binding.
1. Newspapers must be bound in one-half duck, best quality.
It is never under any circumstances wise to bind newspapers in leather. Duck, to be sure, gathers dirt easily, but it seems to be the only material sufficiently strong and long-lived for binding newspapers.
2. Fly-leaves and end papers should be made of extra heavy paper well guarded inside and outside the fold.
3. It is permissible to stitch sections lengthwise before sewing regularly on bands, but oversewing is preferable.
4. Boards of double thickness must be used. It is best, perhaps, to make the boards by gluing or pasting two boards of ordinary thickness together.
5. Corners should be covered with vellum tips.
6. Tight backs must be used.
7. Sides must be covered with paper.
This facilitates the handling of the volumes. If cloth sides are used on newspapers it increases enormously the labor in shelving them and even of using them on ordinary library tables. In libraries that can afford to shelve newspapers on patent shelving with rollers, cloth sides are preferable.
8. Libraries that can afford it should use a fibre-filling preservative on the edges. (See page 116 of the Bulletin of the American Library Association for 1912.)
Reference books should be bound in the same way as fiction or juvenile books, except that morocco, instead of cowhide, should be used for books constantly handled. Books used only occasionally should be covered with cloth made according to the Specifications of the Bureau of Standards. Very heavy, thick volumes, such as dictionaries, should have all the strengthening devices and especially should have the bands and canton flannel on the back placed in split boards or between two boards glued together. It is impossible to bind such books too strongly. In rare cases it may be well to sew heavy books constantly used on raised bands, to have leather corners, and a strip of leather along the bottom of each board.
Some of the professions have conventional ways of binding professional books. In the law, for example, it was formerly customary to bind all law books in full sheep of the natural color. When sheep fell into disrepute, the law publishers began to substitute cloth similar in shade to the sheep generally used—a decided gain for law libraries.
Supplement the general specifications by the following:
1. End papers and fly-leaves must be guarded with jaconet, as described in specifications for fiction and juvenile books, page 93.
2. First and last sections must be guarded with jaconet.
3. All maps and charts must be backed withmuslin and not folded unless necessary.
4. (a) Bancroft Legal buckram (the lightest shade made), or Holliston Mills Library buckram No. 32, should be used for covering.
(b) Books used constantly should be bound in half Turkey morocco or Niger morocco.
1. The most essential quality of a well-bound book of music is its ability to lie flat wherever opened. It is unwise therefore to use any kind of an overcast stitch in sewing. Regular sewing on tapes, instead of bands, must be used.
2. The square at the bottom of the book should be greater than at the top so that leaves will not catch on the music-rack when turned over.
3. Imperial morocco cloth should be used for covering. If hard usage is expected half cowhide, with sides of some kind of washable cloth, is preferable.
4. Part music for various instruments or solos with accompaniment must have one strong binding for the part which takes the most space, with pocket on the inside of the back cover to hold the other parts. If these are bulky compensating guards should be inserted in the back of the book.
Every library finds it necessary to bind a few books, such as Racinet's "Le costume historique," which have very little text and a great number ofillustrations. It is evident that the illustrations in such books are most useful if kept in unbound form in portfolios, but when kept in such a way they are likely to be lost, torn, mutilated or misplaced.
1. Each plate should be guarded with thin, tough paper and the guards overcast.
This insures a good strong sewing; in addition the guard forms a hinge where it meets the plate and the plate will lie flat and can easily be examined when the book is opened.
2. Because of the artistic nature of such books, they should be bound in one-half morocco, taking extra care to see that acid-free leather is used.
3. Canton flannel and bands, or tapes, should be inserted between split boards. If the book is very heavy, it would be wise to line the back with duck or a flesher rather than with canton flannel.
While they are not a part of library binding, it may not be amiss to include specifications for commercial binding of heavy reference books, such as dictionaries, cyclopedias, etc. It is done with the hope that librarians will exert pressure upon the publishers to induce them to adopt these or other specifications which will produce equally good results.
1. Four tapes should be used in sewing; the tapes must extend on each side of the book at least two inches. The book should contain as many stitches as possible, using the best four-strand cotton thread. The thickness of the thread will depend somewhatupon the number of pages in a signature. Books should be sewed "all along" with no splitting of signatures at head or tail.
2. First and last signatures should be reinforced inside and outside of the fold with a strip of strong, thin muslin which passes around the outside of the end papers. The English cloth called jaconet is the best for this purpose.
3. The second signature and the next to the last should be reinforced with muslin on the inside of the fold.
4. The end papers should also be lined on the inside.
5. Illustrations should be guarded with muslin which is folded around the next signature.
6. Books should be lined with a medium grade of canton flannel, with the fuzzy side to the back and extending from one-half inch from the head to within one-half inch of the tail of the book, lapping over at least two inches on the side.
7. The flannel, together with the tapes, should be inserted between split boards.
8. Over the canton flannel, but not extending over to the sides, there should be pasted a good quality of linen, rope or manila paper of sufficient thickness to make the book firm. In putting on this lining paper paste instead of glue must be used.
9. Volumes should have French joints.
10. The best quality millboard of suitable thickness with rounded corners should be used.
11. Leather should be made, if possible, accordingto the specifications of the London Society of Arts. Niger morocco is probably the best. Volumes should have leather corners as well as backs.
12. For cloth sides, Winterbottom's Imperial morocco cloth, Bancroft's Legal buckram, or Holliston's Library buckram should be used.
One way of economizing in libraries is to buy books that have been bound in strong binding before they come to the library. It is not, however, a universal panacea which will reduce binding bills to a minimum. On the contrary, if not used with caution, this plan will result in the expenditure of large sums of money for which the library will never receive a return in actual wear of the books. Library binders who adopt this scheme buy books in the sheets from the publishers, put them into a strong binding and sell them directly to the library. Mr. Cedric Chivers of Bath, England, was the first to adopt this plan. Later he started a bindery in this country, and since then other binders have followed his practice. For the librarian there are several advantages in this method of buying books.
1. Books can be bound according to the library's special needs before they have received any wear, while the paper is fresh and clean. Books printed on very thick, spongy paper must be sewed very strongly and receive special reinforcements that are not necessary on paper which is more suitable for binding. If a good library binder buys the sheets from the publishers, he can test the paper to see what kind oftreatment it should receive, and he can then bind it suitably for library wear. If the book is used in the original publishers' binding it deteriorates much more rapidly than when properly bound at the beginning.
2. The book can remain in circulation at the time when it is most needed. Formerly one of the greatest trials in public libraries was the necessity of withdrawing from the shelves practically all the copies of a popular novel in order to send them to the bindery where they remained from four to six weeks, the public meanwhile hurling anathemas at the librarian for not providing sufficient copies of the book. Not only were the books out of circulation when most needed, but much time was used in preparing them for the bindery, checking them up on return, putting on the library marks of ownership, making cards, marking pockets, etc., all of which added to the expense. Today, in the case of new novels which are sure to be popular, such troubles are unnecessary. Instead of buying the original publishers' binding, the wise librarian buys a sufficient number of copies bound from the sheets; if the binding is properly done, he need pay no more attention to them until they are worn out. He has done what he could to prevent the public from becoming dissatisfied, and he has saved the cost of the work required to send them to the bindery.
3. Not only has he served his public better and saved the time of assistants, but in most cases he has actually saved money on his binding bills. Let us suppose that he pays $1.50 for a book bound fromthe sheets; and suppose that he also buys a copy of the same book in the publisher's cover at a cost of $1.22, which, after it has been issued twenty times, has to be bound at a cost of 50 cents, making a total cost of $1.72. If they are issued the same number of times there is a clear saving of 22 cents in favor of the book bound from the sheets. As a matter of fact, however, statistics kept by the Wilmington Institute Free Library indicate that the first book will be issued 125 times before it is discarded, and the second 100 times—twenty before binding and eighty afterward. If this be true, it is clear that there is a further saving, provided that both have to be replaced when finally worn out.
While these advantages are well worth considering, the librarian should not necessarily get all his books in this form. It is a plan which is peculiarly advantageous in the case of fiction and those few other books which are in constant use. In the case of juvenile books one must be cautious. Juvenile books, particularly books for boys, become soiled so much more quickly than the adult books that they frequently have to be discarded because they are dirty rather than because they are worn out. If the books were bound before purchase the library may have lost money, because one can frequently buy a publisher's book and rebind it more cheaply than he can purchase the book bound from the sheets.
Most books in the classes should be purchased in the regular publisher's binding unless they are constantly used. In other words, the use a book is toreceive is the test of whether it should be bound from the sheets before purchase. Having decided that the use of a book warrants binding from the sheets, it is well to consider other facts.
1. It may not always be wise to bind from the sheets all the copies of a new book by a well-known author whose works are always popular and likely to continue so for years. If ten copies are approximately sufficient for use during the first year, it is safe to say that in most cases they will be too many for the needs of the library during the second and third years. If they are bound in leather before purchase they will not wear out and during the third and succeeding years a number of them may be deadwood on the shelves. It is therefore wiser to buy a few copies in leather binding and the others either in a regular publishers' binding, or in some publisher's cover reinforced. When these volumes have come to the point where they need binding the period of greatest popularity may have passed and they may be withdrawn, thus saving the library the expense of binding.
2. When the book is finally worn out and must be withdrawn from circulation, the question always arises, must it be replaced with a new copy? The majority of fiction and juvenile books so replaced are books of wide popularity. Occasionally a book, such as Henry James' "Princess Casamassima," or W. D. Howells' "Modern instance," is replaced because the library must have it on the shelves, not because it is popular. But ordinarily the popularityof a book is the determining factor in replacing worn-out copies. The decision to replace carries with it the decision to keep a book on the shelves indefinitely. Since the book has proved its worth and is to receive hard wear, the reasons which prevailed against buying it in a strong binding when it was new no longer exist. The strongest binding that can be obtained suited to the strength of the paper is none too strong.
Perhaps the most vehement objection to books bound from the sheets comes from those librarians who have a strong sense of aesthetic values and who claim that these books are not so attractive to the eyes as the regular books in their bright and gay publishers' covers. The objection is valid. It must be admitted that the leather-covered books have the appearance of strength and serviceability, but not of beauty. If a reader knows that he wishes a particular book, he will not be prevented from taking it because of its appearance, but if it is bound in leather and he knows nothing about it, he will very likely pass it over and select some book which has a bright, attractive cover. This is true even of adults, while of children it is doubly true. A large part of the popularity of that well-known book, "Fighting a fire," is due to the attractive cover which almost always excites the interest of boys who happen to see it.
Although the first cost of books bound from the sheets is always greater than that of books in the regular publishers' covers, it is hoped that the economy of buying them under certain conditions has been made clear. There is, however, a cheaper wayof buying some books which one would otherwise obtain in this form. Every year many copies of popular fiction and juvenile books find their way to the shelves of second-hand book dealers. Some of these copies show signs of wear, while some of them are in excellent condition. In any event it is always wise to submit a list of replacements to some large dealer in second-hand books; to buy such books as may be obtained from him (generally at considerably less than one-half the published price); and to send them at once to a good library binder for rebinding before placing upon the shelves of the library. In this way one should get from 25 per cent to 33-1/3 per cent of fiction replacements in a substantial binding at a cost much less than the cost of a book in the original publishers' binding.
For those who wish strong bindings, but who wish them attractive also, reinforced bindings can be recommended. Reinforced books are those which have been strengthened either by the publishers in the regular course of manufacture, or by some binder who takes the book as it comes from the publisher, removes the cover, strengthens the book and puts it back into the same cover. A reinforced book generally appears in the attractive publisher's cover, and it always appears in some form of cloth, never in leather.
Owing to the small number of times which books in the original publishers' binding were issued, the committee on binding of the American Library Associationmade an effort in 1906 to induce the publishers to issue a special edition for library use. As it was recognized that the publishers would not take kindly to elaborate specifications for stronger bindings, the improvements asked for were made as few in number as possible. They were the following:
1. Sewed on three tapes (very small books sewed on two tapes).
2. First and last signatures reinforced with muslin.
3. Cloth strip in joints pasted on fly leaf and sewed through.
4. Thin strong muslin over backs.
An attempt to demand hand-sewed books was abandoned when it was discovered that this stipulation added greatly to the cost of the binding without noticeably increasing its strength. The main strength of a book bound according to these specifications lay in the guarding of the first and last signatures.
The honor of issuing the first reinforced book for library use belongs to Charles Scribner's Sons Co., who in the summer of 1906 bound 1500 copies of F. Hopkinson Smith's "Tides of Barnegat." Their specifications, based on those submitted by the A. L. A. committee on binding, required that:
1. Signatures contain not more than sixteen pages;
2. First and last signatures be guarded with muslin before sewing;
3. First and last signatures be oversewed (actuallythey were run through a sewing machine);
4. Lining papers be guarded with strong drill and sewed through;
5. The book be sewed on two tapes;
6. Highest grade super be used for back-lining;
7. Books be glued to the back of the cover; making a tight back book;
8. Buckram be used for the covers instead of the regular publisher's cover.
The extra cost of the book was ten cents, and it was an excellent piece of work. In actual wear the books far exceeded the hopes of those who favored the plan, for they all went through the period of greatest popularity without being withdrawn from circulation. When they came to the point where they could no longer be circulated, most of them were discarded instead of being sent to the bindery.
The initial success of the plan induced other publishers to try the experiment. In 1908 one hundred and twenty different books could be obtained in reinforced bindings from seventeen publishers. Among these publishers were the firms of Century Company, Harper, Houghton, Little Brown & Company, McClurg, Putnam, Scribner's, Stokes, and Warne. Some of these books were well-bound, the publishers evidently making a conscientious effort to meet the demands of the committee; others were makeshifts not worth one-half the extra cost.
The success of "Tides of Barnegat" encouraged Charles Scribner's Sons to give the experiment further trial, and from time to time during a period of several months this firm issued books bound in thisway. In no case, however, was the initial success repeated. After the experiments had been tried by the different publishers for several months the obstacles to the plan, several of which had been foreseen, grew greater rather than less, and in the end the publishers gave up the plan of providing special editions of new fiction and juvenile books for library use.
The main obstacle to the successful culmination of the plan lay in the inability of librarians to order books before publication, and in the inability of publishers to make special editions after the book had been published. The success of "Tides of Barnegat" was due largely to the fact that the author and book were well known in advance of publication. Librarians knew at once that they wanted the book and the orders were filed promptly. In the case of nearly every other book which Scribner published in this way librarians could not decide until they had actually seen the book, or at least had seen reviews of it. Quite naturally they sent in few orders for the books. On the other hand Scribner did not care to bind a large number of books in special binding unless they had some assurance that the books would be sold; and they could not at any time afford to manufacture a very small number. It seemed impossible to bridge this gap which existed between the publisher and the librarian.
Other reasons which worked against the success of the plan were:
(a) The apathy of the library world in general.In spite of efforts made both by publishers and by those librarians specially interested; in spite of the proved success and economy of the best reinforced bindings, librarians in general paid little attention to them.
(b) The opposition of booksellers. This opposition was not violent at any time; but a special edition for one class of buyers inevitably entailed more labor upon jobbers and booksellers with no financial return, since there was no discount on the 10c. extra cost. It followed that orders from librarians for the special library editions were filled by some jobbers with regular editions; and the time required to exchange the copy of a regular edition for one of a special edition was generally sufficient to prevent the librarian from returning the books. Had it been possible to have one central bureau to bunch orders and to distribute them, greater success might have resulted.
While the effort to induce publishers to issue special library editions and to keep them in stock was a failure, there were nevertheless good results from the venture. While most of the commercial bindings are no better to-day than they were ten years ago, yet the publishers know that something better is needed for library use. Small books which are used by children and receive hard usage are as a rule much stronger bound than formerly, and will last as long as they are needed. As one direct result of the agitation, the well-known Everyman's set can now be obtained in a library binding. Certain large reference books, such as Webster's and the Centurydictionaries, U. S. Catalog, etc., have been put into the strongest possible binding. In these cases the publishers have tried to meet the demands of librarians.
When the publishers ceased to make special editions for libraries several library binders undertook to supply books in this form. Their method was to buy the books from the publishers, remove the covers, resew the books in the most approved library style and replace the books in the publisher's covers. When this cover wears out the sewing is so good that it is only necessary to recover either with a regular leather-back binder's cover, or with a home-made cloth cover. By this method the librarian is assured of a book in the same cover as the regular edition, the necessity of sending orders in advance of publication is obviated, and the publishers, jobbers and booksellers do not have to keep a stock of a special edition. In practice the plan works well.
Librarians for years have been annoyed because certain books, such as the Brownie books, have given such poor service no matter how they were bound. In the original boards they went to pieces very quickly and the paper was of such a character that they were hard to rebind. The strong leather bindings bound from the sheets were too strong because the paper wore out long before the binding. In 1912 books of this character, through the initiative of Mr. H. R. Huntting in Springfield, Massachusetts, were sewed by the Samson-back method, a strong machine sewing; they were then covered withcloth and the paper covers, so attractive to children, pasted on the outside. The cost of the books was much less than that of the leather-back binding and they were much more attractive. The Samson-back method of reinforcement therefore practically solved the problem of binding large thin books with wide margins at the back, precisely the books that had given librarians the most trouble.
Binding is a work of repair, not one of expansion, and consequently the amount spent for this purpose adds little to the resources of the library. The modern librarian does not begrudge money for salaries; heat, light and the general up-keep are items that cannot be reduced materially in most libraries. But money spent on binding reduces the funds available for new books. Therefore, a study of the many ways in which binding bills can be made smaller is well worth while.
Two elements, material and labor, enter into the cost of binding, labor of course forming the larger part. Since the cost of labor varies in different parts of the United States, it is impossible to give figures of cost applicable to all places. Furthermore, as the cost of both material and labor is increasing constantly any statement made at the present time might be wrong a year from now.
So far as figures of cost are concerned, it therefore seems best to discuss maximum and minimum figures. On this basis it is fair to assume that it will not be necessary at any time in the near future to pay more than fifty cents a book for fiction and juvenile books eight inches or less in height, bound incowhide, government cloth, or the more expensive imperial morocco cloth. For this amount the librarian should get the best binding obtainable. As high a price as this is actually charged by a few binders only, some of whom are justified in so doing because they give full value for the money, or because the cost of their labor is high.
If less than thirty-five cents is paid for fiction and juvenile books eight inches high, it is probable that the binding is not serviceable and therefore not economical; but in rare cases bindings costing thirty cents a volume will give excellent service. When low prices are charged the librarian should be sure that, taking the ratio of cost to circulation into consideration, he is getting full value. In general, it may be said that he who gets fiction and juvenile books well bound for less than forty cents a volume is to be congratulated. Naturally, this statement does not apply to the large libraries which bind a large number of books every month, and can therefore obtain better rates than the smaller libraries.
For books bound in cowhide or cloth, the cost increases at the rate of from fifteen to twenty cents a volume for every two inches in height.
The price of the smallest volumes bound in morocco is considerably greater than of those bound in other materials, and the increase according to size is also somewhat greater. One dollar is the highest price paid within the knowledge of the writer for an eight-inch morocco book, and sixty cents the lowest price. The difference in the value of thework about corresponds to the difference in price.
Periodicals bound in government cloth, or duck, may cost from fifty-five cents to eighty cents a volume ten inches or less in height, increasing fifteen cents to twenty cents a volume for every two inches in height.
Newspapers well bound should not cost less than $2.00 a volume, nor over $4.00. More variations will be found in the prices for newspapers than in any other kind of binding.
Most binders are paid a certain amount for books eight inches high or less, the prices differing according to the material used. The price in a few cases increases with each inch or fraction thereof in height to ten inches; in most cases the increase is for each two inches or fraction. For example, a book which measures eight and one quarter inches in height is charged for at the ten inch rate. One which measures ten and one quarter inches at the twelve inch rate. Sometimes an extra charge for books which are much thicker than usual is justified.
The following schedule covers practically all the different sizes and materials which the librarian must take into consideration. The prices given are those actually charged by a good library binder.
Adult and Juvenile and Miscellaneous Books Not Exceeding 2 Inches in Thickness
8 in.9 in.10 in.12 in.Half Pigskin or Cowhide45556585Full Cloth (Library Buckram)40506080Full Imperial Morocco Cloth4555658514 in.16 in.Extra sizes per inchHalf Pigskin or Cowhide1.101.3020 centsFull Cloth (Library Buckram)1.001.2015 centsFull Imperial Morocco Cloth1.101.3020 cents
Books over 2 inches thick charged at rate of size above
Magazines, Periodicals, Sheet and Folio Music Not Exceeding 4 Inches in Thickness
8 in.9 in.10 in.12 in.Full Cloth (Lib. Buck.) or Full Duck45556585Full Imperial Morocco Cloth50607095Half Cowhide5065851.10Half Pigskin (English)5570901.15Half Pigskin (American)5065851.10Half Morocco65801.001.25Half Duck (Waterproof sides)4555658514 in.16 in.Extra sizes per inchFull Cloth Lib. Buck. or Full Duck1.101.3515 centsFull Imperial Morocco Cloth1.201.4520 centsHalf Cowhide1.301.6020 centsHalf Pigskin (English)1.351.6520 centsHalf Pigskin (American)1.301.6020 centsHalf Morocco1.501.8525 centsHalf Duck (Waterproof sides)1.101.3515 cents
Above prices include all lettering on books.
Books over 4 inches thick charged at rate of size larger.
Newspapers not over 30 inches, in half library buckram or half duck $2.25, or in full duck, $2.40.
Special prices for dictionaries, cyclopedias and other sizes not in above schedules.
Following is a statement of plans for cutting down the cost of binding, a few of them being obviously makeshifts for the benefit of poor or very small libraries.
Books Bound Before Purchase
Under this head will be found (in Chapter 6) a full statement of reasons for buying books bound from the sheets.
Reprints Bound Before Purchase
The cheap reprints of popular novels which cost less than one-half as much as the original edition, although attractive in appearance, are very poorly bound and if bought in original covers must be rebound within a short time after they are first placed on the shelves. Some librarians find that it pays to send orders for books which can be obtained in cheap reprints directly to their binders, who buy the books and rebind them in the regular half-leather binding which the library uses for its rebound fiction and juvenile. He bills the books to the library at the cost of the volume plus the cost of binding, the total in any event being considerably less than one dollar. Not over ninety cents should be paid and eighty-five cents is the general price for such books. In this way the library gets a book in a good, strong library binding for less than the cost of the original edition in publisher's cover. Furthermore all labor involved in sending the book to the bindery and receiving it again—no inconsiderable item—is eliminated.
Second-Hand Books
Akin to the foregoing plan is the practice which some libraries have of sending lists of replacements to dealers in second-hand books and having all books obtained in this way rebound at once before putting them into circulation. Moreover this arrangement eliminates the time and labor necessary to send a book to the bindery. Binderies in large cities can undertake to supply second-hand books, with advantages both to themselves and to the libraries employing them. The library is relieved from the necessity of searching for second-hand volumes, while the binder can well afford to do this service for a stated price per volume which will be reasonable from the library point of view, but which will allow the binder profit on all books which he can find at very cheap prices. When such a plan is adopted the binder should understand that the library wants neither the cheap books printed on wretched paper and having very small print, nor the very fine editions with colored illustrations.
Reinforcements
A reinforced book is one which has been removed from the original publisher's cover, strengthened in various ways and put back into the same cover. (See chapter on this subject, page 108.) In its best form it means the complete resewing of the book with an overcast stitch. It is advisable to buy such books frequently, since they preserve the attractive publisher's cover and since they can also be recovered by the library itself without resewing. Statistics keptby the Wilmington Institute Free Library show that such books when properly recovered give as good relative service as those which have been bound before purchase. The main advantage lies in the elimination of the time necessary to send them to the bindery and the greater length of service which they give at the height of their popularity.
Recovering at the Library
Many books which come to the binding department require rebinding in order to put them into the best condition, but the books will be used so little that rebinding would not pay. In the numerous cases in which the sewing is in good condition it will be possible to recover them at the library and letter them by hand. In cases where the sewing is poor it will be possible to resew and recover. Such books are neither so strong nor so attractive as books which have been wholly rebound, but they can be recovered at an expenditure of less than fifteen cents a volume, as against forty to fifty cents a volume for binding, and are in sufficiently good condition to wear a long time, perhaps as long as the library needs them. (For description of the process of recovering see page 185.)
Discarding Valueless Books
In the preceding case it has been taken for granted that the books in question add something to the resources of the library and that they must be kept. Books that have outlived their usefulness because they have been superseded by later editions, or by otherbooks more authoritative, in all except the largest libraries should be discarded. (For arguments in favor of this see Chapter 8,p. 131.)
Leather vs. Cloth
Notwithstanding that he is repeating himself, the writer wishes to emphasize one point. It may almost be made a general rule, though like other rules, it will not work well at all times. Never bind a seldom used book in leather, or a much used one in cloth.
Cheap Editions
Money may be saved by replacing books which need rebinding with good editions cheaper than the cost of binding. (See (f), page 129.)
Proper Care
The life of the book in the library may be prolonged in several ways.
1. In opening the leaves of uncut books at the top the paper knife should be carried to the back of the book, using a dull knife that is thin, long and tapering.
2. Many books should be carefully opened before being placed on the shelves. This is done by resting the book on its back and dropping the covers on the table. Taking a few leaves at a time first at the front and then at the back, press them down carefully until the middle of the book is reached. If this be done there is little chance that the back of the book willbe broken if the book is suddenly opened.
3. Books should not be pressed tightly together on the shelves.
4. They should not be piled on other books resting on their fore-edge.
5. They should not be pulled from the shelves by the head bands.
6. They should be dusted frequently.
7. They should be kept upright on the shelves instead of half-fallen over.
8. In every way they should be handled as if they were books, not bricks.
To decide properly what books should be rebound and how they should be rebound is not a simple matter nor one which should be left to an inexperienced or uneducated assistant. 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, literary value, timeliness, etc.—and good judgment in deciding whether a book should be bound or whether it should be mended, recased, wrapped in paper, recovered, or thrown away. The binding, therefore, should be in the hands of an assistant who understands the demands of this department of library service, and for economy's sake as well as for the sake of efficiency it should not be shifted from one person to another.
Mr. Dana has shown in his "Notes on bookbinding for libraries" how essential it is that binding assistants should know books. Credit for much of what here appears in support of that viewpoint is due him and is herewith acknowledged.
In considering the binding of fiction and juvenile books the following are some of the questions which the binding assistant must ask and decide before determining whether a book is to go to the shelves in a new dress, or to the junk-man as waste paper:
(a) Is the book in such poor condition that itcannot be rebound or recased? If so, it must be discarded. While this decision is generally easy to make, it is sometimes 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 the book. If very popular, it may be wise to rebind it, for it must be remembered that good library binders can accomplish wonders with books that are in poor condition.
Sometimes the question arises whether the book is in poor enough condition to need rebinding. Perhaps it will survive a few more issues just as it stands. If the book is a trifle shaky in its covers, the decision 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 rebind it, the book will be issued only a few more times before it will have to be withdrawn from circulation and sent to the repair room again. The result is a greater loss of time with no actual gain in wear.
(b) Is the book much read? If it is an old one that is evidently popular, it is reasonable to suppose that it is the policy of the library to supply the demand for this book, and the book will be rebound as a matter of course. A decision about new books which are popular is harder to make because it is fair to ask:
(c) Is the demand falling off? It is here that the assistant must show good judgment. It may bethat the book can be rebound easily with profit, if there is a sufficient demand to keep all the copies in circulation. It may be that the book is waning in popularity and that other copies in the library are ample to supply present demands. If they are, the copy in hand should be canceled, since the cost of binding will then be saved. But the assistant should ascertain the condition of the 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 investigation shows that two of the four copies are in very poor condition and cannot be rebound. If he withdraws the one in hand, only two good copies will remain, and perhaps these are not sufficient to supply the demand. On the other hand, it is possible that they are sufficient to supply the demand. In any event, the situation is one which requires a knowledge of the book itself, its popularity with the public, and general good judgment. The question may be summed up in this way:
1. It is cheaper to rebind a book than it is to discard it and later be obliged to buy a new copy.
2. It is cheaper to discard a book when it seems assured that the book's popularity is over, than tobind it and have it remain for years unused.
(d) If the book is much used, is it a book that the library wishes to circulate? Every library has certain books on its shelves of which those in authority somewhat disapprove, 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 discard them entirely when worn out. The good binding assistant will remember the titles of these books and use good judgment in dealing with them when they come into his hands.
(e) If the book is not much read, is it a standard work? For example, in the case of a work of Anthony Trollope the assistant discovers that it was issued only once during the last year and that it is the only copy in the library. If he does not "know books," he will be led to believe that the book has no value 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 reputation of Anthony Trollope which, nevertheless, have intrinsic worth and have a small circle of admirers. They may not have great merit, but on no account should the library be without them. As examples of books of this kind we may take Mrs. Brush's "Colonel's opera cloak" and Theodore Winthrop's "John Brent."
(f) Can the book be replaced with a good reprintwhich will wear as long as a new binding and cost less? While there are not many cases in which this can be done, the assistant should watch for them. The most noteworthy reprints 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 cloth edition they sell for thirty-five cents a volume and can easily be issued from forty to fifty times before being discarded. This makes the cost for each issue as small as can be obtained by binding higher-priced editions.
The following case, which actually happened, illustrates the point, although the books are not fiction. Grote's "History of Greece," in twelve volumes, was in bad condition; several of the cloth backs were torn and the sewing of all the volumes was loose. It was decided to send the books 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 to have the set on the shelves; the Everyman's edition answered every purpose, and will undoubtedly last as long as the rebound set would have done. Unfortunately, owing to copyright provisions, comparatively few of the books which are constantly wearing out can be obtained in this edition.
(g) Is it an old edition, with poor paper and poor type? A book of this sort should never be reboundbut should be discarded and a new copy purchased even if the cost of a new copy be much greater than that of rebinding.
(h) If the book is the only copy in the library and is read not oftener than once in ten years, should it be kept because it is important historically? Good examples of this 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 American literature should read them, and they should be on the shelves of all except the small libraries. Here again good judgment is called for on the part of the assistant.
(i) Is the book used so seldom that it can be recased or recovered by the library? The process of recasing (described on page 184) can be used in the case of small-sized books which have covers showing little evidence of wear, and which do not receive hard usage. The process of recovering (described on page 185) can be used on leather-bound books which have cracked at the joints. In either case the sewing must be perfectly sound.
(j) Finally, let us suppose that we have asked all the foregoing questions and are still undecided what to do. There will be very few cases 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 from the fiction shelves to the regular literature shelves. It may stay there for years unused and yet be at hand when finally called for.
With books other than fiction and juvenile manyof the same questions must be asked. In addition, however, it is sometimes necessary to ask the following:
(a) Are there later editions which are more valuable? This question will arise with frequency especially in the case of scientific, technical and reference books, and careful judgment must be exercised in making decisions. It often happens that a later edition of a technical book has little more value than the one which precedes it; frequently it entirely supersedes the earlier 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, but its place has been entirely taken by the work of other authors. In such cases it should be remembered that an out-of-date technical book in the hands of an inexperienced person frequently causes more harm than good. It may cost more to buy a new book than to rebind an old one; yet this is exactly what should be done in every such case if the funds of the library permit.
(b) May not the library be better off without either the book or a substitute? In the past librarians have hesitated to discard any book which has once been placed on the shelves. They have believed that all printed matter has value and that a book which belongs to the library is sacred and must onno account be destroyed. It is difficult to defend such an attitude. If we admit for the time being that the 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 examples of poor selection. Why, after a mistake has been made, refuse to admit it? If the original purchase (or acceptance of a gift) was a mistake, to keep the book on the shelves simply perpetuates the mistake and adds to the expense of maintenance. It is no crime to discard a book. On the contrary, in many cases, it is the only sensible thing to do. In doubtful cases, however, the book should be kept.
If the final decision is to bind the book the next step is to arrange the book in the way in which it should be bound. The question of collation is one on which there has been a difference of opinion. Some librarians have claimed that it is best to collate books at the library in order to prevent imperfect books being bound, since it is always disappointing to discover, after a book has been bound, that it is incomplete. In the great majority of cases, however, collation is a waste of time, since good bindersrefuse 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 sometimes be bound when one or two pages are missing. Juvenile books, especially, often go to the bindery with missing pages. Many times these missing pages are not especially important and in these cases it seems more economical to bind the book than to buy a new copy. If the number of missing pages is not too great they may be typewritten from other copies. Books other than fiction or juvenile should seldom be bound in an imperfect condition.
Another exception to the rule of sending books uncollated is in the case of popular periodicals, such as Scribner's, Harper's, Century, etc., where the library has only one copy which it binds. Since periodicals frequently become torn and mutilated and must be replaced it will save delay in having the volumes bound, if the collation is done at the library.
But while collation is generally unnecessary, arrangement in proper order is essential. In dealing with periodicals this is not always an easy task. They should first be examined to see that all the numbers are in hand, and that there is a title-page and an index. It would seem as if there were little chance to go astray in doing this, yet the vagaries ofperiodicals 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 incomplete. Sometimes the cover indicates that two numbers are published in one. If it is not so indicated one must look at the paging. If the paging is consecutive, and there is a title-page and index, it is safe to assume that the volume is complete, even if a number is apparently missing.
The general rule for arranging periodicals is: Place title page at the beginning, followed by table of contents, text, and index at the end. Periodicals in English are generally easy to arrange, though even in this case one must know whether the periodical in hand is in the habit of publishing supplements which are paged separately, but which are called for by the table of contents. If such supplements 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 always issued. A few periodicals in English have two or more sets of pagings either in each number, or in some of the numbers and not in others. When the numbers are taken apart and the proper pagings grouped together, the table of contents will generally indicate how these should be arranged. But if not, it is usually readilyapparent which is the main paging and which the minor paging or pagings.
Though rarely found in periodicals printed in English, this exasperating condition of affairs frequently exists in foreign periodicals. The Germans are especially fond of printing several different parts in the same number. Frequently a long monograph will begin in the first number of a volume and extend through two or more volumes. When completed it may or may not have a special title-page and index of its own. 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 two or more parts each month, each part covering some phase of the larger subject indicated by the general title of the periodical. These parts will be paged separately and numbered differently but will have the same kind of cover, and care must be used to keep the proper parts together. Peculiarities and irregularities of this sort make periodicals veritable puzzles, some of which it may take months to solve.
In arranging periodicals, front covers having a different color from the text must be kept to facilitate use.
Advertisements as a rule should not be bound. Since they are a part of the history of the times, itis desirable for a few of the largest libraries to bind the advertising 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 the volumes to the bindery; tearing down two or three inches on pages which are to be discarded is sufficient indication to the binder that they are not to be bound.
Several magazines, such as McClure's and Everybody's, have, for several years, made a practice of leaving articles unfinished in the main paging and continuing them on advertising pages. This is an annoying practice since great care must be taken to see that all text matter is complete, even if it becomes necessary to bind all advertising pages.
Many periodicals, especially those of a scientific character, contain plates which are not paged-in. If these are scattered through the text they may be allowed to stay there, but if they are grouped together at the end of each number they should be placed together in proper order at the end of the complete volume.
The vagaries of periodical publishers are shown as much in the way in which they issue (or do not issue) title-pages and indexes as in any other way. The proper way, which is seldom done, is to issue both title-page and index in the last number of each volume. Some publishers issue them in the first number of the next volume; some at various times during the publication of the succeeding volume. Some publish a title-page at the beginning of the firstnumber 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 unless requested to do so. Many publish neither title-page nor index, and perfectly reputable periodicals which have published these essential parts of a periodical for twenty years or more will suddenly cease publishing them. It is evident that title-pages and indexes are nuisances in preparing periodicals for the bindery.
The assistant in charge should keep a record showing (a) which publishers must be asked to send title-pages and indexes, and this should be done as soon as possible after the volumes are complete; (b) in which number of a periodical title-pages and indexes may be looked for if they come regularly; (c) which periodicals do not publish title-pages and indexes.
If lack of funds makes it impossible to bind periodicals and they must be wrapped in paper it is highly important that title-pages and indexes be included, since it may be impossible to obtain them when funds permit binding.
Changes in the size of periodicals are a cause of annoyance. The annoyance is not great when the change is from a large quarto to an octavo, for the cost of binding an octavo is considerably less than that of a quarto. Unfortunately, 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. Thisin itself is exasperating, but in addition the publishers apparently make no effort to change the size with the beginning of a new volume, so that part of a volume will be of one size and part of another. In such cases the troubles of the binding assistant may be readily imagined.
While it is highly important to bind only complete volumes of periodicals, it is occasionally permissible to bind volumes with guards for missing numbers 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 numbers, and prevents further loss of numbers already in hand. It can be done only when the numbers are very thin, particularly in the case of newspapers.
Quite a number of periodicals have so few pages in each number that a complete volume makes a very thin book. In such cases it is best to bind two volumes in one at the cost of one.
Among other material which passes through the hands of a binding assistant are the annual reports of various organizations—religious, charitable, fraternal, governmental, etc. In large libraries these 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. Whether they are to be bound or wrapped in paper, they should be grouped by regular periods, preferably five or ten reports in a volume, according to size, following thedecades or half decades.