=Binding Materials Suitable for a Library=
The Newark Library has tried many experiments in the choice of
materials. It finds that thin, imported, acid-free pigskin, first
used in this country by Mr. Chivers, is the best material for backs.
It wears well; does not rot; is easily manipulated and takes gold
lettering well. A disadvantage is its tendency to darken with handling.
It works well on books of all sizes and all kinds, whether they are
handled much or not.
Morocco, if tanned so that it will not rot, is more expensive than
pigskin. For the finer books it is better than pigskin as it preserves
better its appearance under much handling.
Cowskin is good for books which are to be much handled and are likely
to be worn out and discarded within five years. Only the best quality
should be used. Dark red is usually preferable to light red or brown.
It costs less than pigskin.
English Imperial Morocco cloth makes a good full binding for books that
are not to receive much wear. It cannot be lettered easily, and if much
handled soon looks dingy at the top and bottom of the back and along
the joint and at the corners.
Dark blue art canvas, the kind in which both warp and woof are dyed
blue, makes a serviceable and inexpensive full binding. It can be
recommended for books which are to be handled but little.
Large volumes like periodicals and society proceedings should have
backs of gray or light green duck, with black letters, and sides of art
canvas or morocco cloth.
Newspapers should also have backs of duck. The sides may be covered
with paper, but art canvas or art vellum is better.
If newspapers are to be consulted often they should be carefully
bound of course. But in a great many libraries it is wise to tie most
newspapers up in flat packages instead of binding them.
For the sides of books, bound with pigskin or morocco backs, which
are to be much handled the Newark Library has found nothing as good
as keratol, elsewhere described. For books which are not to be much
handled, morocco cloth is excellent. On books which are bound with
an eye to their beauty,--curios, rarities, books to be exhibited,
etc.--Newark uses three-fourths morocco with sides of paper or of cloth
of appropriate color.
The joint committee on printing of the House of Representatives,
Washington, D. C., made an investigation in 1907 of several binding
materials. This investigation was made with special reference to
the binding of the publications of the United States government. It
included the subjects of endurance, wear, tensile strength, tendency
to absorb moisture, readiness with which attacked by insects.
Incidentally other qualities were considered.
An outcome of this investigation was the publication by the Bureau of
Standards, Washington, of specifications for bookcloth for binding
depository sets of public documents. The specifications state that
the cloth shall be from first quality staple cotton, uniformly woven
and of the grade known as firsts. The surface shall be smooth and
hard and show no tendency to stick when folded upon itself. Further
specifications cover the strength of the material, its tendency
to absorb moisture, its resistance to mold and insects and other
characteristics.
These specifications may be used by all librarians in selecting cloth
for ordinary library binding. The Bureau of Standards will make tests
according to the specifications for any library, charging a fee for
the work. The cloth which conforms to these specifications is a smooth
cotton fabric similar to that used by the best law book publishers in
this country, and to the duck mentioned above. It is much heavier than
ordinary publisher's book cloth.