[padg] RE: RE: deferred binding of paperbacks

["Biddle, Michaelle" <mbiddle@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

We've taken a somewhat nuanced approach for the last three years.  An ever increasing number of publishers' "bound" items, which cost way more than the paperback version, are burst bindings with covers made of card stock.  Usually after a couple of circulations books like these are ready to be rebound.  So for items supplied through our primary vendor, YBP, we select paperback preferred and have all paperbacks bound by YBP.  YBP sends them out to the same commercial binder we use.  This had ended up saving us quite a bit of money.  

For items obtained from other sources, paperbacks that exceeds 10x7x1.5", or are comb bound, are commercially bound.  I made boxes this size for cataloging and acqusitions.  If a book fits in the box then it goes to Materials Processing.  If not it is sent to the commercial binder.   Materials Processing Kapco's all items except P's.

The reasons for these 10x7x1.5" diminensions?  - For four years we Kapco'd all paperbacks except P's, redoing cover to text block attachment if necessary.  Then every paperback returned from circulation was checked.  1 in 4 Kapco's larger than these dimensions was unsatisfactory.    For the last three years we have had respectively 0, 1 and 3 Kapco'd items fail with covers and text block separated.  Occassionally a Kapco'd item does need to be bound.  We color photocopy the covers and tip them onto the text block before sending them out to be bound just as if the covers were colored endsheets.

There is one staff person in Materials Processing and me in the book lab.  We have about 40 hours per week student labor.  

Michaelle Biddle
Collections Conservator & Head of Preservation Services
Wesleyan University Library
252 Church Street
Middletown, CT 06459

Tel:  (860) 685-3875
Fax: (860) 685-2661



-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Driedger [mailto:driedgerk@xxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 10:38 AM
To: padg@xxxxxxx
Subject: [padg] RE: deferred binding of paperbacks

I straddle two library worlds: the library where I work - a state library with significant non-circulating genealogy, local history, and government document collections; and the libraries for which I do workshops - mostly public and school. 

At my work, when budget allows, we bind nearly everything that comes in with spiral, comb, or no binding - and we get a lot of that. Deferred binding on these is often difficult because when these start falling apart, they are a real mess. We don't get a lot of paperbacks, and we pre or re bind very few of these.

My experience with the public and school libraries is quite different. My observations are much like Shannon Zachary's in that paperback quality is improving and hardcover quality is deteriorating. Despite Ms. Carroll's understandable distaste for Kapco covers I have learned to accept them in this library setting. I have seen these kind of clear, self-adhesive protective covers help, and I have also seen them harm a book. The problems I've seen with these has primarily been with the covers that add a significant stiffness to the covers. These stiff covers can, but not always, cause the paper cover to be detached from the text block. Despite the apparent benefits of hardcover books, I think one of the strengths of paper-backs is their flexibility. And, based on what I've observed, a well-applied, strong, but flexible clear cover on high-use paperback books will make them much more durable. Obviously, this would be completely inappropriate for and special collection type material, but for replaceable, high-use books it provides an inexpensive durability (and high-use public/school library books are all about inexpensive durability). A library bound book is incredibly durable, but much too expensive and slow for most public library paperback needs.

Kevin Driedger

*************************************************
Kevin Driedger
Cataloger/Collections Conservator
Library of Michigan
702 W. Kalamazoo
P.O. Box 30007
Lansing, MI 48909
517-373-9440
driedgerk@xxxxxxxxxxxx

>>> <Valinda.Carroll@xxxxxxxxxxxx> 02/16/09 9:46 AM >>>
When I arrived here in late 2004, one of my first decisions was to stop using Kapco or other similar products. It was fairly clear that the high-circulation paperbacks would end up at the bindery, if needed. 

Our nursing and pharmacy programs force us to buy a lot of thick, floppy paperbacks. Their faculty members wish to see these weeded often, based upon superseded editions, obsolete technology, or obsolete medical advice. I saw it as a monumental waste of materials and labor to "reinforce" items with such short retention times.

We currently receive "shelf-ready" rebound paperbacks from Blackwell.
All volumes from Barnes and Nobles, Erasmus, other vendors, and gifts are shelved as-is. We do make special exceptions to bind circulating art and architecture paperbacks that are oddly shaped or oversized, regardless of the vendor or gift status. 

Years ago, some well-meaning person applied Kapco to a flexible leather Roycroft "An American Bible" in Peabody (special collections). That poor book was one of the main reasons that I banned Kapco. We are using Mylar jackets (applied without adhesive touching the book) or various types of boxes for special collections, so there is never any reason to use Kapco. I am the first preservation officer with any preservation training or experience at my institution. I still have to deal with some resistance to change (to rely on boxes, wrappers, etc. can be
counterintuitive.) 

We also have several circulating French literature books in flexible leather covered in Kapco or Vistafilm. They are generally low use items, so they probably could have been left alone. Only a few volumes might warrant repair or recasing.

Typically, the entire cover pulls off of a paperback. This failure also occurs in the presence of the reinforced covers. Ultimately, that is the reason that Kapco is a waste of labor. It addresses neither the cover-to-textblock attachment nor the leaf attachment within the textblock. 

If you saw what we have here, then you would never ever want to waste the labor applying Kapco. Rebinding based upon usage allows you to be more selective. Circulation and ILL staff will intercept high-use paperbacks that need to be rebound. I work rather closely with our Assistant Director for Collection Development to determine what is "worth" binding. I have only one FTE staff technician and about 0.5 FTE student labor, so a larger department might not have the same labor concerns.

Valinda Carroll
Preservation Manager
Harvey Library
Hampton University