Two Solutions for a Book with a Broken Cover: Tape vs. Box
Our latest request for help comes from the genea-fabulous Jasia, author of Creative Gene and Creative Genealogy.
Jasia's got a problem with a damaged old book:
I recently bought a big, big old book (1924 city directory) that is about 6" thick, traditionally hard bound. The side has separated from the front cover right along the crease and I'd like to know if there is some sort of tape I can use to hold it together without doing any additional damage to the book.
I'm a regular subscriber to your feed and I very much enjoy your blog. Thanks so much for sharing what you know!
Option 1: Book Repair Tape
Tape is the quickest and easiest way to re-attach the cover of a book. Public libraries do this all the time because their collections take a serious beating. If your goal is usability rather than preservation, peel and stick book tape is a great choice.
These are generally not reversible, which breaks the golden rule of preservation. But, again, if your goal is to be able to use it for years to come and not to keep it in pristine condition then that doesn't really matter.
Metal Edge sells an acid-free linen tape specifically for book repair projects. The adhesive is water activated and might be reversible (I'd call customer service to see). A 50 yard roll of 1" wide tape is $14.90.
Metal Edge also sells a How To booklet on simple book repair for only $1.75: "A simplified 16 page booklet with detailed photos for mending books where the text block has become loose or the end papers & title page are pulling away from the inside of the case. Tipping in loose pages is also covered with detailed photos & instructions."
This clear tape from Gaylord is designed to get the tape in exactly the right position. The paper backing is in three strips which make it easier to remove. It's described as acid-free, non-yellowing and tear-resistant, 33 yards for $15.29.
Option 2: Phase Box
There's often a backlog of rare books that need repairing. Large libraries started putting these fragile and damaged items in snug fitting boxes. They called them "phase boxes" because it was just a temporary storage solution until the book was repaired. Most phase boxes turned out to be permanent.
Metal Edge sells a DIY kit to create your own phase box. Prices range from $6-$16 each, depending on the size.
Each DIY kit is basically two rectangluar pieces of archival board with scored lines. You use two of them to wrap your damaged book up nice and snug. Then you close it with velcro stick-on buttons.
Confused?
It's easier to show than to tell:
Phase boxes are a great way to store any fragile book. It keeps off the dust, protects the book from light and supports it enough to store upright on a shelf. It's easy to write information on the spine of the box, or you can attach a computer printed label if you prefer.
4 comments:
Thanks Sally! I appreciate the advice, including the product suggestions. My directory is in dire need of some repair and now I know where to begin. Yeah!
Hiya, Jasia! I'd love to know how your directory rescue project goes. If you'd be willing to share a picture that would be great.
I lean towards phase boxes, myself -- but I'm a total klutz when it comes to tape.
Thanks for letting me publish your question so other folks can get help, too.
-Sally J.
Great topic! My husband is a rare/first edition book geek, so I've gotten a chance to see some restoration work firsthand. (He doesn't do much himself, but he's had some things done to resell.) It's really an art.
Sonia, you're absolutely right.
I used to work at The Dictionary of American Regional English, and one of the editors there knows how to re-bind books. He told me that the basic book binding toolkit has far more tools in it than a carpenter's kit.
Someday I'd like to try my hand at it, but for now I'll leave it up to the professionals.
Thanks for stopping by, Sonia!
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