Covering Books With Plastic: Dust Jackets
Covering Books With Plastic: Dust Jackets.
Amongst my friends I have a reputation for being rather passionate about covering books, all books, with quality book plastic. I’m ahem, known for borrowing a book off a friend and returning it covered, some friends visit with their books wanting me to cover, and I have been known to lend books only on the condition my friend covers the book whilst in her keeping, handing her a slip of plastic as she leaves. Paperback, hardcover, dust jackets I cover them all, covering protects books, keeps them attractive and more durable.
I remember my mother covering books when I was a child, wrestling with builder’s plastic she had purchased from the local hardware store, I still have many of those books well protected in their plastic. When I began building our family library years ago, I contacted our local library to ask where they purchased the plastic they covered their books with, they directed me to England Holdings (here in Australia) and I haven’t looked back. I use the Clear Gloss Premium PVC Plastic 100 micron, (equivalent to 4mil, measurement for Brodart covers) and I highly recommend it. Don’t be tempted to go for cheap when purchasing plastic, I have friends who once found a cheaper source and the quality was cheaper too as they found to their disappointment.
I feel so passionate about the benefits of protecting your books with plastic I’ve put together a series of tutorials, my desire is you will then feel confident to begin covering your own books. The first tut I’m sharing is covering those precious dust jackets before they become further ratty and tatty. I just love the feel of dust jackets once they’re protected, so attractive and they call to me to pick up and read.
Feel free to ask any questions, I simply love talking about book covering 🙂
6 Comments
Laura Pearl
You are an inspiration! I want to cover all of our books now. 🙂
Do you cover even paperbacks–or are the books in your collection in the library all hardcover?
I just love how you love books! (I don’t understand how anyone can NOT love books!)
Sharyn
I used to cover all my books with ‘clear contact’ but then the quality changed and became poor. It was thin and didn’t stick well, and so I stopped as I couldn’t find a suitable replacement. This was years and years ago now and many books later… I would definitely recommend taking the time to cover books as they do last much longer.
Must get back to it! Thanks for this tutorial!
Kelly
You know, I was going to ask you about your book coverings – now I don’t have to!
Helen
Hi Erin. Thank you for this very helpful post. I am wondering if you cover soft covered books with plastic, or just hard covered?
Erin
Helen,
I cover all books; paperback, hardcover and dust jackets.
Lee
Companies like Brodart and Gaylord (and some others) make dust jacket protectors that have a paper backing that
don’t require that the dust jacket or the protectors be taped to the book at all.