LIBRARY BOOKBINDING

Library Bookbinding

by Arthur L. Bailey

Librarian Wilmington (Delaware) Institute Free Library

THE H. W. WILSON COMPANY
White Plains, N. Y., and New York City
1916

Published May, 1916

Copyright, 1916
By The H. W. Wilson Company

PREFACE

It has been the purpose of the writer in these chapters on library bookbinding to set forth as clearly as possible the best information relating to processes, materials, routine and various other lesser matters pertaining to bookbinding which must be taken into consideration by librarians, or by assistants in charge of binding departments. Although much of this information exists elsewhere in printed form, it is scattered through various books and articles. In some respects, therefore, this book is a gathering together of scattered material. It is hoped, however, that there is enough new material to make the book of interest to those who deal daily with binding problems, and that the book as a whole may help to solve some of the questions relating to binding in libraries both large and small.

Most books on binding and all books on library binding have devoted some space to paper, its composition, manufacture, finish and use. As the subject is so fully dealt with elsewhere it has not been included here. Those who are interested will find full information in the technical books on paper, in Mr. Dana's "Notes on book binding for libraries," and in Messrs. Coutts and Stephen's "Manual of library binding." There is also an excellent article on wood pulp paper in the Scientific American of October 4, 1913.

Nor has it seemed desirable to include chapters on commercial binding nor on historical bindings. Both of these subjects are treated adequately in Coutts and Stephen's "Manual." The present writer has limited his discussion to matters dealing directly with the binding of books for libraries.

In one or two cases the same subject has been treated in two different chapters because the subject matter belonged in both places, and in neither case would the discussion be complete without it.

A. L. B.

December 9, 1915.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIBRARY BOOKBINDING

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

An examination of the annual reports of libraries in the United States shows that from four to eight per cent of the total income is spent for binding; the amounts ranging from $2,000 to over $40,000 a year for this one item. It must be