Few libraries now cover their books. The reasons for covering them usually given are, that the paper covers gather dust less easily than do the publisher’s cloth bindings; and that the paper covers can be renewed when soiled and books can thus be kept at small expense fairly clean as to their exteriors.

The objections to the paper cover may thus be stated: It takes away the individuality of the book and thus detracts from its interest; the cover has a tendency, unless very carefully put on, to strain the back of the book; borrowers are more careless in handling a covered than an uncovered book.

The only use the Newark Library has found for book covers is on old volumes which are very rarely used and yet are too broken or too much worn and disfigured to look well on the shelf. Frequently old leather bindings crack along the joint so that the sides separate from the back. When this occurs a piece of muslin covered with hot glue applied to the back of the book, extending onto the sides, will hold it together fairly well, and then a paper cover hides the defacement.

The process of putting on a paper cover is described in the chapter on Repairing.

The Newark Library has experimented with several materials and at this date has found that Rugby wrapping paper has given better satisfaction than any other. It is a tough brown paper, which can be obtained from Lindenmeyr & Sons, New York. Cost, $3.30 per ream; size, 24×36, 60 lbs.

The arguments for covering books used in schools are somewhat different from those that may be applied in regard to the same practice for books in libraries. The Holden Patent Book Cover Company, of Springfield, Mass., makes an adjustable cover of very stout, water-proof paper. This cover and others akin to it are used to a great extent in the public schools.

The same Holden Company publishes a little pamphlet called, “How to Care for Books and Keep Them in Perfect Repair.” This they present to teachers who make use of their appliances for repairing books. These appliances include thin transparent paper glued on both sides; the same glued on one side; polished cloth in several colors glued on one side; paper in long strips, so folded and glued that they can be conveniently used to strengthen and repair bindings; self-binders, which are strips of glued cloth with little tongues cut out and projecting from them, that may be used to hold cover and book together.

It appears that in schools which purchase materials like those made by the Holden Company, and instruct their teachers to use them on books as soon as any of them show the need of repairs, the annual cost of text-books is reduced. Probably the cost would be still more reduced were the books mended very little by a skilled person, and were they properly rebound as soon as they need to be.

Gaylord Brothers, of Syracuse, N. Y., make and sell repair material similar to that of the Holden Company.

Further light is thrown on this subject by certain answers to questions recently received from forty superintendents in the United States. These answers show that in two only of forty cities where text-books are furnished is any systematic attention given to the care of text-books. In two cities there is an official curator of books who looks after the covering, repairing, and rebinding of them.

The custom in public schools seems to be to purchase text-books, to keep them in use with a minimum of repairs until they are too tattered and soiled to be thought respectable even by the most careless teacher, and then throw them away. This practice is probably wasteful and extravagant; at least it seems to be so in the light of the experience in libraries in the same matter.