Book Cover Price Comparisons

Colibri Book Covering System (Hardcover or Paperback)

3.5 mil (thickness) ECO

$290/250 box = $1.16 book

BEST FOR YOUR HIGH CIRCULATING BOOKS - removable cover

More about Colibri  Cover System

Cover One Book Binding Repair Machine 

Repairs spines $.25 to $1.00 per book depending on thickness

More about Cover One

Thermobind $299

Demco Laminating Film (Hardcover)

if your school has a HOT laminator

Instructions on Mrs G Talks Books

$75.00 each / 2 for $150 (both sides) 

1.5 mil (thickness)

18 x 500 (6000 inches /14 inches per book)

148 books per roll = about $1 per book

Gaylord 1.5 mil adjustable book jacket covers from DEMCO (Hardcover)

10" x 24" $43.84/ 100 box = $.44 each

Demco Econofold 2.5 mil (Hardcover)

10" x 21"  50/box

$19.84 = $.40 per book

Label Protectors

1-1/4" x 3" Label Shields 1000 per roll

6506R1000 $17.67

www.vernonlibrarysupplies.com

Book Repair Box:

• Bone Folder $3.09 from Demco

• Strapping Tape

• Barcode Covers

• Goo Gone

• Craft Knife

• Label Scraper

• Scissors - NonStick scissors from Fiskars

• Ruler

Book Hospital

When a book is returned that needs repair, put it into the book hospital box until there is time to fix it.  When possible, put a post-it indicating what type of repair is needed.  

Types of repairs:

• Needs new barcode label

• Needs new spine label

• Needs new mylar cover

• Cover torn - Book Tape

• Written or colored in - can it be erased? Do the pages need to be removed or replaced?  Can the end pages be glued together to cover up inappropriate illustrations?

• Pages missing - put a post it where pages are torn/missing.  If we have other copies in the system, they can be copied and replaced with the Cover One

• Book ripped away from spine - Cover One Repair plus Kapco Binding tape or strapping tape

• Needs to be wiped down with cleaning wipes

• Needs a replacement dust jacket

How do I know if I should replace a book instead of repairing it?

Budget is a large factor. Do you have the money to replace it?  Also is it still available or is it out of print?  If it is in high demand, it’s worth repairing until a new copy can be ordered. If you put it in the repair box and no student asks for it, it may be time to let it go. Ask yourself, would anyone else check this out?  Would you be embarrassed for someone to take a book home in that condition? 

Books that cannot be repaired:

• Missing Cover

• Water / Juice Damage

• Mold 

• So old it is not worth repairing (tape to book cost ratio)

• Large number of pages missing

• Chewed by animal

If a book is too damaged to repair, put it in the Discard Box until there is time to process the discards.  

What to do when a book can't be saved

• Follow your district's policy for discards

• Use interesting pages in a bulletin board

• Shred pages to use in a guess the book jar:  "Literary Preserves"

• make blackout poetry or censored poetry

• cut into squares to make origami paper

• use in your die cut machine to make bulletin board letters

• use to make other paper crafts

• Start an adopt a Book Box or shelf

• Make a Junk Journal

More Resources:

• George Pilling Youtube Channel for Book Repair (CSLA 2017)

• Conservation Book Repair from Alaska State Library

• Librarians share their best book repair tips from DEMCO

• Protecting Softcover Books from DEMCO

See Also:

• Book Repair Workshop 2019 on Mrs. G Talks Books.

• Guinness World Records book repair on Mrs. G Talks Books.

• Number your  Series

• Strapping paperbacks to prevent cover tearing from the spine on Mrs. G Talks Books.

• Weeding