Specifications for Quarter Buckram Periodical Binding

The following specifications must be considered basic to the style, and must be adhered to consistently. The Library assumes responsibility for collation, and will remove covers only when disired. Bindery will receive parts in final binding order. Binder will provide multiple-copy instruction slips or equivalent, and will guarentee uniformity of size, buckram color, type position and size, and general configuration. Color of buckram will be specified, and will be limited to five shades: brown, black, dark blue, maroon, and mid-green. Materials and method of construction as below.

  • Double fan, Ehlermann adhesive binding, using adhesive formulated for the machine.
  • Endsheets to be single-fold white, to have a pH not less than 6.0.
  • Spine to be lined before covering with hinge cloth, wrapping onto the endsheets not less than three centimeters.
  • Inside margins and edges to be trimmed as little as possible.
  • Davey Red Label Boards not less than .074 in. in thickness to be glued with a polyvinyl acetate directly onto the endsheets and pressed, distance from back edge not to exceed 1.0 centimeter or to be closer than 0.5 centimeter.
  • Good quality Buckram of approved standard (L.B.I.) to be used for spine, glued directly on top of the set hinge cloth, wrapped onto the boards no more than 5 centimeters and no less than 2 centimeters.
  • Boards should not be marked during the trimming process, and the spine coverings should not be loosened or left ragged. Edge scouring caused by nicked and worn guillotine knife is acceptable providing that board edges are cleanly cut.
  • Printing must not be "bled" by careless trimming. Library will separate volumes not suitable for trimming, and will note foredge folds etc.

The size of each consignment will be arranged in advance. The delivery and pick-up schedule must be consistent, occurring on the same day of the week, with a set period not to exceed twenty-eight days between for normal processing. Rush processing must be available, and the Library agrees to meet extra costs incurred.

Quarter Buckram Periodical Binding: Processes

This is a list of procedures for the binding of periodicals in quarter buckram flush, with plain boards. All the procedures are necessary in order that a sound and neat binding be produced. Data on the testing of the Ehlerman adhesive binding is available from selling agents, the Library Binding Institute, and the United States Testing Company Inc.

  1. Staples and wire stitching are removed from each issue, and the final order of parts, title page, contents, index, etc. checked.
  2. The back (binding) edge is trimmed or milled off, making sure that the smallest amount possible is removed.
  3. The pages and single folio endsheets are double fan adhesive bound on the Ehlerman "Double Fan" Binder, using the specially formulated adhesive. A spine lining of hinge cloth (preferably Gane Bros. "Special G") running the length of the spine ,and wrapped onto the end-sheets approximately 3 centimeters, is applied while the book is in the machine (see figure 1).
  4. Plain boards (Davey Red Label) of appropriate thickness but no thinner than .074 in. are glued directly onto the endsheets, flush with the head and approximately 0.5 centimeters from the back edge (see figure 2).
  5. Buckram, pre-lettered with the volume number, title, and date is glued directly onto the spine (on top of the hinge cloth), and wrapped onto the boards approximately 5 centimeters, makihg sure that the joints are firmly set.
  6. The fore-edge, tail and head are trimmed flush on the guillotine. It is important at this final stage to make sure that the cloth spine and other linings have not been loosened by the trimming.