Understanding Book Repair Terminology

Basic Preservationally Sound Conservation Treatments and Techniques

Aug 10, 2009

The following article explains the names of some of the more common book repair techniques and describes the basic procedures for the book repairs.

Books fall apart because of normal wear and tear as well as from vandalism and abuse. For most damage, specific preservationally sound repair techniques exist that can fix or reverse the problems. However, conservation and book repair technicians must understand the basic terminology before learning how to repair the books. The following sections explain and describe the terms tip in, tighten hinges, spine repair, new case, and recase.

Tip In

Tipping in is a preservationally sound technique for reattaching loose or detached pages. The supplies needed to tip in a loose page are PVA (polyvinyl acetate) glue, a glue brush, scrap paper, and a weight. Use a piece of scrap paper to apply a line of glue that is one-eighth of an inch wide at the spine of the text block. Place the detached page on the glue line as close to the spine as possible. Carefully close the book, and place a weight on the book near the spine.

Tighten Hinges

Hinge tightening is a book repair that reattaches the endsheets of a book that have detached from the front or back covers near the spine. The supplies needed to tighten the hinges of a book are knitting needles, PVA glue, and a weight or book press. Use a knitting needle to insert glue between the loose endsheet and the cover board. Carefully close the book while lining up the text block with the endsheets. Place a clean knitting needle in the joint of the book and place a weight on the book on top of the needle, or

Spine Repair

A spine repair is a conservation treatment that replaces a damaged or worn spine on a book. The supplies needed to repair a book spine are book cloth, spine liner paper, PVA glue, a glue brush, a scalpel, a microspatula, a ruler, and two knitting needles and a weight or a book press. First remove the old spine by lining the ruler up parallel with the joint of the book and using the scalpel to cut the old spine off. Then use the scalpel to make four shallow incisions on the inside covers of the book near the spine and use the microspatula to lift a small portion of the endsheets.

After preparing the book, then cut a piece of book cloth that is large enough to cover the spine of the book and at least one inch of the font and back covers. Also cut a piece of spine liner paper that is as wide as the spine. Glue the spine liner paper to the center of the book cloth and glue the book cloth to the book. Then turn in the excess cloth at the top and bottom of the spine and reglue the endsheets down. Finally place clean knitting needles in the joints of the book and place a weight on top of the book, or place the book in a book press.

New Case

A new case is a book repair technique that replaces the entire cover of a damaged book. The supplies need to case a book are book cloth, spine liner paper, cloth spine liner, binders board, PVA glue, a glue brush, a scalpel, a microspatula, a ruler, and two knitting needles and a weight or a book press. First remove the old cover and endsheets of the book from the textblock. Then attach new endsheets and new cloth and paper spine liners.

After preparing the textblock, cut two pieces of board for the front and back covers as well as one piece of book cloth that is larger than both boards. Also cut one piece of cloth spine liner. Attach the boards and cloth spine liner to the cloth. Turn in the top and bottom and then the sides of the excess cloth. Then glue the new endsheets to the inside of the new cover. Finally place clean knitting needles in the joints of the book and place a weight on top of the book, or place the book in a book press.

Recase

A recase is a preservationally sound book repair for reattaching a loose or detached cover. The supplies need to recase a book are spine liner paper, cloth spine liner, PVA glue, a glue brush, a scalpel, a ruler, and two knitting needles and a weight or a book press. First carefully removed the cover of the book and the old endsheets from the textblock. Then attach new endsheets and new cloth and paper spine liners to the textblock. Then glue the new endsheets to the inside of the existing cover. Finally place clean knitting needles in the joints of the book and place a weight on top of the book, or place the book in a book press.

The five most basic book repair techniques are tip in, tighten hinges, spine repair, new case, and recase. Book repair and conservation technicians must learn and understand these terms and procedures before repairing books left in their care.

Sources

The copyright of the article Understanding Book Repair Terminology in Collecting Books is owned by Heather Marie Kosur. Permission to republish Understanding Book Repair Terminology in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.