I see I’m late to this party, but I saw this video just in time to restore my faith in book people. I had just watched a video with a librarian on how to cover a library book. Really it was just covering the book jacket with those covers that are clear on one side and white on the other. I have quite a large library in my home, and I had used those covers myself. But she used scotch tape to stick the plastic to the dust jacket, and another kind of nasty tape right to the book! I found myself shouting, “no, no, no!” I was gearing up to comment on that, when this video popped up next. I have no problem at all with the way you did it. However, I keep wondering why no one in any videos I watch has a book covering system like mine. This machine covers a book and dust jacket together, protecting them both, but is fully and easily removable with no book damage. You can also cover books with no jacket, which was the advantage over the covers I mentioned before. The cover will fit the book perfectly, too, and takes hardly any time. I bought mine in 2013 and was sure libraries must have them. Anyway, thanks for this video.
Prepping a book for a library is not the same as prepping a book for your personal collection. Libraries aren't worried about archival quality tape or tape directly on the cover of a book because the books are going to be replaced within five to ten years, anyway. The main priority for library books is durability, not conservation.
This is great. Exactly what I need. I have many late 1800s, early 1900s cloth bound books and I need to keep them safe. Query: why don't you miter cut the plastic on the corners? It would seem to be less bulky when they are folded over. Query: this is a very 'crispy' plastic. Do you find this better to get the job done than, say, a softer plastic? Does this type of plastic slide well in the bookcase when they are pulled from the shelf?
Thanks for the queries. 1. Less work when doing many books in a sitting. 2. I would say so. I'm happy with the results and don't have much (if any) sticking when I pull a book off the shelf.
very informative video. I too have this feeling of wanting to keep my hardcover books (bought second hand for my studies) to made them last for a long time. but, I had a few few silly questions. first questions, you think the plastic wrapped material is not going to corrode the hardcover another year especially stored inside drawer or open bookshelves? I thought some said plastic wrap is bad to cover for the book? second, you think using cloth based material of wrapping is good as replacement for plastic type wrap? thank you.
Oh man coming from Argentina that book is the holy grail, i cant even find a digital copy to buy.... But if i ever find my white whale im coming directly to this vídeo!
dunno if you guys gives a damn but if you guys are bored like me during the covid times then you can watch pretty much all of the latest series on instaflixxer. Been streaming with my brother recently =)
no. But there are other covers for the dust jackets themselves to protect them which protect the books too. Believe it or not, the original dust jackets to books highly increase their value. Who knew....
You know, if you want to fix that loose cover, just take a wooden skewer like you get in the grocery store in bags; smear it with Elmer's fabric and craft glue (good for books because it gives) and insert it between the cover and the spine. It works wonderfully to fix that loose board
The spine is detached from the back of the book by design -- this allows the book to lay flat for better reading. However, that does not mean this is a sturdy or even well-made volume. The paper (over boards) cover is not long-lasting, the hinge material actually holding the book in the cover is weak/failing (you can see the slop in the video), and the book block integrity is possibly also compromised. At some point either the book will break apart or it will fall out of the cover, maybe both. It's fine to protect a fragile but handsome paper cover, but the important part of the book is the inside -- don't forget about that!
Never use elmers or craft glue on a book. That’s a good way to ruin it. Instead use PVA glue. It’s non acidic, and is meant to flex with the book when it opens and closes. Elmers and other glue will shrink and crack. Also ruins delicate paper
@@bcash1994 For conservation binding or any professional application, that's right. Quality PVAs will still be doing the job decades or centuries later. But I believe Elmer's is an adulterated PVA with characteristics similar to, or even a little better than, many adhesives used in trade bindings. A case binding done with Elmer's and properly pressed can outlast the best PVA with hand-rubbed paste-downs and knitting needle hinges. So practical repairs can be made on utilitarian volumes to get experience. All binding chooses some attributes over others -- so even an inferior glue gets the novice binder in the habit of correctly choosing materials and methods.
The only problem I’ve had with this method is that the tabs you tuck into the spine keep coming out - I wish there was an easy way to stick them down but I can’t think of one!
@@hugh_dancy Nope - I think the only real solution would be a big of double-sided take to stick to the inside of the spine, but I don't want to do that!
I'm not clear on how buying a roll of new plastic is in line with permaculture practices. As a teacher, I always had my students wrap their texts with old paper grocery bags. Easy and lasted a long time, even in the hands of teens throwing it in and out of backpacks, lockers, etc. Let's not go to plastic unless it is a reuse or absolutely the only choice.
Earthdave yeah took me a while to want to use plastic. Problems I had with paper is that some of these books are worth hundreds of dollars and some of them I cannot get another copy of. So the plastic really better protects them from moisture and the sun. Especially for their rarity. To me, as these books are of real importance for the future, this was like using diesel for building a dam wall. Worth the expense. For longevity. However if the books are not old or you are not concerned of any moisture level , then paper wrapping would be perfect.
you have the most soothing voice, thank you for this thorough tutorial xxx
Sick! Gonna get these clear ones and follow your procedure. Ingenious tucking the strip inside the spine! You are a gentleman and a scholar, sir; ty!
I see I’m late to this party, but I saw this video just in time to restore my faith in book people. I had just watched a video with a librarian on how to cover a library book. Really it was just covering the book jacket with those covers that are clear on one side and white on the other. I have quite a large library in my home, and I had used those covers myself. But she used scotch tape to stick the plastic to the dust jacket, and another kind of nasty tape right to the book! I found myself shouting, “no, no, no!” I was gearing up to comment on that, when this video popped up next. I have no problem at all with the way you did it. However, I keep wondering why no one in any videos I watch has a book covering system like mine. This machine covers a book and dust jacket together, protecting them both, but is fully and easily removable with no book damage. You can also cover books with no jacket, which was the advantage over the covers I mentioned before. The cover will fit the book perfectly, too, and takes hardly any time. I bought mine in 2013 and was sure libraries must have them. Anyway, thanks for this video.
Prepping a book for a library is not the same as prepping a book for your personal collection. Libraries aren't worried about archival quality tape or tape directly on the cover of a book because the books are going to be replaced within five to ten years, anyway. The main priority for library books is durability, not conservation.
This is great. Exactly what I need. I have many late 1800s, early 1900s cloth bound books and I need to keep them safe.
Query: why don't you miter cut the plastic on the corners? It would seem to be less bulky when they are folded over.
Query: this is a very 'crispy' plastic. Do you find this better to get the job done than, say, a softer plastic? Does this type of plastic slide well in the bookcase when they are pulled from the shelf?
Thanks for the queries.
1. Less work when doing many books in a sitting.
2. I would say so. I'm happy with the results and don't have much (if any) sticking when I pull a book off the shelf.
very informative video. I too have this feeling of wanting to keep my hardcover books (bought second hand for my studies) to made them last for a long time.
but, I had a few few silly questions.
first questions, you think the plastic wrapped material is not going to corrode the hardcover another year especially stored inside drawer or open bookshelves? I thought some said plastic wrap is bad to cover for the book?
second, you think using cloth based material of wrapping is good as replacement for plastic type wrap?
thank you.
We used to do this every year in school! Why have I forgotten and why does it look so complicated now?
are there any alternatives for the tape that you can get in the UK?
Oh man coming from Argentina that book is the holy grail, i cant even find a digital copy to buy.... But if i ever find my white whale im coming directly to this vídeo!
dunno if you guys gives a damn but if you guys are bored like me during the covid times then you can watch pretty much all of the latest series on instaflixxer. Been streaming with my brother recently =)
@Jameson Cade Yea, I've been using InstaFlixxer for years myself =)
@Jameson Cade Definitely, I have been using instaflixxer for since november myself :D
@@jamesoncade1229 go spam your momma
This is a very good tutorial for this process. Thank you
Will this work over the top of a dust jacket?
no. But there are other covers for the dust jackets themselves to protect them which protect the books too. Believe it or not, the original dust jackets to books highly increase their value. Who knew....
You know, if you want to fix that loose cover, just take a wooden skewer like you get in the grocery store in bags; smear it with Elmer's fabric and craft glue (good for books because it gives) and insert it between the cover and the spine. It works wonderfully to fix that loose board
The spine is detached from the back of the book by design -- this allows the book to lay flat for better reading. However, that does not mean this is a sturdy or even well-made volume. The paper (over boards) cover is not long-lasting, the hinge material actually holding the book in the cover is weak/failing (you can see the slop in the video), and the book block integrity is possibly also compromised. At some point either the book will break apart or it will fall out of the cover, maybe both. It's fine to protect a fragile but handsome paper cover, but the important part of the book is the inside -- don't forget about that!
Never use elmers or craft glue on a book. That’s a good way to ruin it. Instead use PVA glue. It’s non acidic, and is meant to flex with the book when it opens and closes. Elmers and other glue will shrink and crack. Also ruins delicate paper
@@bcash1994 For conservation binding or any professional application, that's right. Quality PVAs will still be doing the job decades or centuries later. But I believe Elmer's is an adulterated PVA with characteristics similar to, or even a little better than, many adhesives used in trade bindings. A case binding done with Elmer's and properly pressed can outlast the best PVA with hand-rubbed paste-downs and knitting needle hinges. So practical repairs can be made on utilitarian volumes to get experience. All binding chooses some attributes over others -- so even an inferior glue gets the novice binder in the habit of correctly choosing materials and methods.
Thank you very much for this
Great video brother! 😇
Thank You!
Great video. Thanks for the tips.
thank you!!!
what about just contact paper on a hardback?
The only problem I’ve had with this method is that the tabs you tuck into the spine keep coming out - I wish there was an easy way to stick them down but I can’t think of one!
Have you figured a solution for this, I dont want to trim the flap otherwise the spine ain't protected:(
@@hugh_dancy Nope - I think the only real solution would be a big of double-sided take to stick to the inside of the spine, but I don't want to do that!
I'm not clear on how buying a roll of new plastic is in line with permaculture practices. As a teacher, I always had my students wrap their texts with old paper grocery bags. Easy and lasted a long time, even in the hands of teens throwing it in and out of backpacks, lockers, etc. Let's not go to plastic unless it is a reuse or absolutely the only choice.
Earthdave yeah took me a while to want to use plastic. Problems I had with paper is that some of these books are worth hundreds of dollars and some of them I cannot get another copy of. So the plastic really better protects them from moisture and the sun. Especially for their rarity.
To me, as these books are of real importance for the future, this was like using diesel for building a dam wall. Worth the expense. For longevity.
However if the books are not old or you are not concerned of any moisture level , then paper wrapping would be perfect.
Repair that spine before covering the book!