The book should be cleaned as well as mended. Careful attention should be given to the cleanliness of the books in circulation. There is nothing that more quickly creates a distaste for the use of a public library than the handling of soiled and grimy books.

Careful study of the paper upon which books are printed is necessary, and in cleaning the fact that different papers and finishes require different treatment must be taken into account. The spongy feather-weight paper upon which much of the fiction is printed is difficult to clean. Pencil marks may be erased with art gum used gently; soil of any other kind is almost impossible to remove. Heavily clay-coated paper may be cleaned with powdered pumice or a hard eraser. Highly calendered paper and any hand made paper may be cleaned with a damp cloth; cleaning but a few pages at a time and allowing book to remain open until dry.

PAGES

Soiled pages may be cleaned in the following ways:

With art gum, rub gently and slowly, holding the page flat with the left hand to prevent tearing.

With powdered pumice stone, rub on with a clean cloth. With damp cloth, be careful that cloth is not too wet. Rub always from inner margin of the page outward, to prevent crumpling.

Brush off carefully all particles of rubber, or pumice stone, allowing none to remain in the folds between the leaves.

Mud stains may be removed by using a soft brush or sponge, with a preparation of the following proportions: One cup water, one teaspoon ammonia, four drops carbolic acid. Avoid too much rubbing or print will blur. Slip the pressing tin under the page, and after washing, place white blotting paper on each side of the leaf.

Ink stains may be removed by one of the standard ink eradicators to be obtained of local stationer or druggist.

Edges of the leaves may be cleaned by sandpapering, holding the leaves of the book very firmly together, or putting book into press.

COVERS

Soiled covers may be cleaned by using a hard eraser, pumice stone or soap and water. The best results are obtained by the use of the following wash:

Two parts good vinegar and one part water. Apply with a clean cloth and rub hard until dirt is removed, then place upright to dry. This should not be used on leather.

The book should then be shellacked.

Shellacked covers. New books may receive preliminary care by shellacking before placing in circulation. Shellacking the covers, especially those in light colors, provides great protection from dirt, and they are then easily washed with the vinegar and water. Another coat of shellac is advisable after washing.

To shellac, hold the book by the printed matter and apply the shellac, which may be diluted with a little wood alcohol, taking care to shellac the edges well. Give two coats; between coats suspend on a cord over night to dry. After the last coat, rub with soft cloth slightly oiled with olive oil. This prevents sticking.

If the books are labeled before shellacking, the ink must be allowed to dry thoroughly or it may run; in removing the labels, use wood alcohol first to cut the shellac and then soak off with blotting paper and water.

Care should be taken in the selection of the shellac; if not, the books will be gummy and hard.

The leather on bound magazines and books often becomes very dry and will split and crack. This is especially true of books not greatly used, as the oil of the hands acts as a great preservative. To prevent this cracking and splitting, some oil is necessary. Vaseline is good for this, applied with a cotton pad covered with a soft cloth, and should remain on the leather for a day to permit absorption of the oil. Some leathers will absorb a second application, after which books may be rubbed down and returned to shelves. The oil or vaseline does not harm the gilding. This may be done once a year, depending upon the condition of heat in library and upon age and condition of leather bound books.

Worn covers may be replaced on books with leather backs by removing cloth from the boards dry, and using this as a pattern from which to cut new cloth or paper. Reline inside of boards with paper.

Covers split at joint. Strips of cloth in assorted colors may be obtained with other mending supplies to reinforce covers split at the joints.

This cloth may be obtained gummed or ungummed; if ungummed, use paste; if gummed, moisten with thin paste.