Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber's Note: Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs= around the text. Small capitals in the printed works have been transcribed as ALL CAPITALS.

More Transcriber's Notes may be found at the end of this document.

The picture opposite the title-page is a reprint of a page from the volume of plates, made in 1771, to illustrate Diderot's Encyclopædia. This page is one of six, each 8×12 ins. in the original, illustrating the article in the encyclopædia on binding.

The picture in the upper part of the plate represents a binder's workshop. The person at A is beating a book. The woman at B is sewing. The man at C is cutting or trimming the edges of a book. The man at D is working a press.

Of the figures below: 1 is a piece of marble on which books are beaten; 2 is a piece of marble of different shape for the same purpose; 3 is a beating hammer; 4 is a sewing table or bench, on which books are sewn; 5 and 6 are balls of thread for sewing books; 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are parts of a sewing bench; 13 and 14 are large and small paper folders.

Notes on

Bookbinding for Libraries

By

John Cotton Dana

Librarian Free Public Library,
Newark, N. J.

Revised and Enlarged Edition

Library Bureau, Chicago
1910

COPYRIGHTED
1910
LIBRARY BUREAU

=Naudé On Binding=

"The fourth is, to retrench & cut off all the superfluous expences, which many prodigally and to no purpose bestow upon the binding and ornaments of their Books, and to employ it in purchasing such as they want, that so they may not be obnoxious to that censure of _Seneca_, who handsomly reproaches those, _Quibus voluminum suorum frontes maxime placent titulique;_ & this the rather, that the binding is nothing but an accident & form of appearing, without which (at least so splendid and sumptuous) Books become altogether as useful, commode & rare; it becoming the ignorant onely to esteem a Book for its cover; seeing it is not with Books, as it is with men, who are onely known and respected for their robes and their clothes, so that it is a great deal better, and more necessary, for example, to have a good quantity of Books, well & ordinarily bound, than to have a little Chamber or Cabinet full of washed, gilded, ruled, and enriched with all manner of nicity, lux and superfluity."

From John Evelyn's translation of Gabriel Naudé's "Instructions Concerning Erecting of a Library." London. 1661. Chapter 5.

=Preface to Second and Revised Edition=

In the first edition of this book I said that it ought not to be taken as a final authority, but as a set of suggestions which I hoped would arouse interest in the subject of library binding and lead a few to pursue the subject further. Some of the changes made for this edition indicate that I have followed the topic a little further myself,--I hope with advantage to my readers.

Several chapters are new. There are many minor changes and omissions. The lists have been enlarged and brought into one.

I had looked into the subject of library binding and discovered the ignorance concerning it of American librarians, including myself, before I visited Mr. Chivers' beautiful bindery in Bath, England, several years ago. That visit had much to do with the contents of this little book. Mr. Chivers was quite of my opinion that the only way to induce librarians in America to improve our binding was to persuade us to look into the subject. If the book has led some to do this it has accomplished its purpose. As to the fundamental points in it, they largely come, I am pleased to confess, from England, by way of that bindery in Bath.

At the risk of seeming to speak to commercial ends I quote in effect some of the things said by Mr. Chivers in one of his circulars, prefacing the quotation with the remark that the point I wish chiefly to make in this book is the advantage of having certain books, when new, bound once for all:

"The following statement is not an exaggeration: A library saves half the cost of new popular books, and of replacements for which much use may be anticipated, if it purchases them in Cedric Chivers' patent bindings. New books supplied in these bindings are sold as being bound once for all. It is thought that they are so bound as to serve for quite fifty per cent. more issues than will a book purchased in publisher's cloth, used for a time, and then rebound in the ordinary way. Generally speaking such results and even better results are obtained. Occasionally, however, a book does not come up to these expectations. In such cases it is especially desired that its failure be reported and, if necessary, that the book be returned for examination. The paper used in modern books is of such varying quality that it is sometimes difficult to tell without actually trying what is the best manner of treating it."

Buy books well bound direct from publishers' sheets; mend ordinary books very little; rebind them early; watch results; tabulate them, and make use of experience. These are the main themes of this book.

J. C. D.

Free Public Library,
Newark, N. J., May, 1909.

=Contents=

PAGE

Description of Frontispiece 4

Quotation from Naudé 9

Preface to Second and Revised Edition 11

Table of Contents 13

List of Illustrations 15

CHAPTER

I. Introductory 17

II. Binding: the Process Described 26

III. The Literary Side of Library Rebinding 36

IV. Binding Materials Suitable for a Library 41

V. Rebinding for Libraries 44

VI. Lettering and Numbering the Backs of Books 53

VII. Pamphlets 58

VIII. Magazine Binders 61

IX. Repairing Books, General Rules 68

X. Repairing Books, Newark Methods 74

XI. Repairing Books, Materials and Tools 86

XII. Covering Books 90

XIII. Leather, General Notes 93

XIV. Paper and Paper Making 101

XV. Binding Records 110

XVI. Binding Records and Notes--Newark 112

XVII. Bindery Equipment 115

XVIII. List of Technical Terms 119

XIX. List of Makers of and Dealers in Bookbinders'
Materials, Tools and Machinery 161

XX. A Few of the Best Books on Bookbinding,
Paper and Leather 163

Index 169

=List of Illustrations=

PAGE

Old Picture of Bindery and Tools _Frontispiece_

Sewing, Drawing Showing Four Methods 26

Sewing on Tapes 32

Method of Attaching Slips on Ends of Bands to Boards 34

Plates, Two Methods of Inserting Them 48

Method of Lacing in Slips on Ends of Bands 49

French and Ordinary Joints 50

Anatomy of a Joint 51

Type Faces Suitable for Lettering 55

Type Cabinet 56

Backing Boards, metal 121

Backing Boards, wood, steel-faced 121

Backing Hammer 122

Backing Press 123

Beating Hammer 124

Boards, brass-bound 125

Hand Wheel Drive Cutter 131

Finishing Presses 135

Finishing Stand 136

Lettering Pallet 149

Flat Polisher 151

Rounding Hammer 153

Sewing Bench 155

Standing Press of Wood and Iron 158