Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1992 14:16:10 LCL
From: Vicki Stanton <VSTANTON@UNF1VM.BITNET>
Subject: binding - more spouting off

This is my personal opinion, but I feel that oversewing everything does
a real disservice to the patrons.  At the very least, the effort should
be made to sew through the fold for issues that have signatures.  This
avoids the decision about adhesive binding, and allows the volume to
open easily.  We have found that while our oversewn volumes do not have
pages falling out, the spines are damaged by people pressing down
unmercifully during the photocopying process.  I have no evidence, but
have often wondered if we have more mutilation with the oversewn volumes
because the copies are unsatisfactory.

About cleat sewing--this was a form of binding where the issues were not
actually sewn, but small diagonal slits were made in the spine side of
the volume, and the threads were actually wrapped around the slits,
similar to the figure eight used to tie a line to a cleat.  Cleat sewing
is very unsatisfactory, and is NOT the same as as notched adhesive
binding.  Cleat sewing is not recognized as an approved method by the
Library Binding Institute, while adhesive binding is.  Binders are being
much more careful about the kinds of glues that they use, and most
reputable LBI binders are selective about when they notch a volume.  The
principle of notching is that it allows a small amount of glue to extend
into the page, and increases the amount of surface that is glued.
Generally notching is used with slick pages which are more difficult to
glue well.

We prefer through the fold sewing, then adhesive binding, then
oversewing.  Because we do not have edge copiers, it is essential that
we leave as much inner margin as possible, and we find that the adhesive
binds hold up well.  The adhesive binding is the "double fan" method,
where both sides of each leaf are covered wtih glue, which adds to the
durability.  The glue is a flexible type which does not crack when dry.
By all means avoid anything like a hot melt glue, which is the stuff
used on cheap paperbacks.  If the adhesive bound volumes that have pages
falling out had any of these binding anomalies, the study should not
be used to condemn all adhesive binding and notching.

Vicki Stanton                  (904) 646-2550 : SUNCOM 861-2550
Serials Department                             FAX 904-646-2719
University of North Florida Library              P.O. Box 16761
4567 St. Johns Bluff Road, South         Jacksonville, FL 32216
BITNET: vstanton@UNF1VM   INTERNET: vstanton@unf1vm.cis.unf.edu