Using non-sticky plastic

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Using non-sticky plastic

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1Booksloth
Maio 14, 2012, 6:41 am

Firstly, thanks to Barkingmatt for pointing me here. I'm sure this question must have been asked before so apologies for repeating but I can't find where.

I have a few big art books that were very expensive and that I wanted to protect against the effects of constant handling, so I bought a (very expensive) roll of clear (non-adhesive) plastic to cover them. Unfortunately, I can't get the damn stuff to stick. I've tried using Sellotape to stick the folded corners but it just comes undone again. I only want to keep them looking nice for my own use, not to sell some day at a huge profit, so if I eventually have to resort to some kind of glue on the inside of the cover then so be it but I'm sure there must be a better way. Has anyone else had the same problem and found a way to solve it? Thanks in advance

BTW - I've no doubt there are other products I should have bought but now I've got this stuff (and it cost me an arm and a leg) I'd just as soon use it if I can.

2WholeHouseLibrary
Maio 14, 2012, 1:11 pm

Booksloth,
Are you trying to protect the dust jacket or a jacket-less book?
There's a big difference in the procedure involved, and I've done a lot of both.
If you were State-side, I'd tell you to send them to me and I'd cover them for you; just pay the shipping.
But, as you are in the UK, that's rather prohibitive.

3Booksloth
Maio 15, 2012, 5:38 am

Thank you WHL - what a typically generous response! As you say, sending them (and they are big books) back and forth between US and UK would be a massive and expensive task but it's a very kind thought nonetheless. It's the dust jackets that I'm trying to protect from too much handling and if it decreases the value of the books it doesn't really matter that much - I just want to keep them from getting too tatty while they're in my possession (though I do realise the very idea of not caring about value is probably anathema to anyone who does a lot of this kind of thing). The effect I was aiming for was much like the way in which the teacher's copy of a storybook was always covered in plastic when I was small so I started off treating the task in much the same way we used to cover books with wallpaper in junior school - just turning the corners in and taping them securely (incidentally, in theory, this would only mean the Sellotape coming into contact with the dust cover and not with the book itself) but it just doesn't want to stay stuck. I wonder if there is some special kind of tape that is made for the job as it does seem a bit odd to sell plastic intended to be used in this way but that doesn't stick. All suggestions very gratefully received. (I could always contact the manufacturer but I've thrown away the book and all contact details.)

4PossMan
Editado: Maio 15, 2012, 6:43 am

Booksloth: Many years ago I used to be responsible for a school library and dealt for many library supplies with a company then called Don Gresswell (in UK). A quick google shows they're still out there at http://www.gresswell.co.uk/book-care-archival/book-coverings.html . Or it may be worth while trying other suppliers. I remember one product we used a lot for books with dust covers was like a flat tube with brown paper as backing and clear plastic at front so the dust cover could just be inserted from the ends. Came in lots of sizes but yours sound big. Just a thought

5aulsmith
Maio 15, 2012, 7:56 am

What you most likely have is Mylar. That's the best quality plastic for protecting dust jackets. It is hard to get stuff to stick to it. I did a small amount of checking online to see if I could come up with a quick recommendation for tape, and found that libraries seem to be creasing the mylar to fit the jacket and the book and not using tape.

Maybe WHL knows if any tape will stick to Mylar. (I want to know for some non-book projects.)

6TLCrawford
Maio 15, 2012, 9:04 am

I have used Mylar covers for book jackets and it is very difficult to work with until you learn the secret to folding it. Measure carefully because once you get the crease in the material it is not coming out. On a hard, smooth surface, make the fold then using a hard edged tool rub firmly along the fold. I think the library supply company called for a "bone knife" or something like that, I used the back edge of a hard comb. Don't do this on a good wooden table. When I tried it on a wood surface the grain affected the fold, I should have gone with the grain, and it left a mark on the wood.

Good luck.

7lilithcat
Maio 15, 2012, 9:17 am

> 6

I think the library supply company called for a "bone knife" or something like that

Bone folder: http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/product_specific.cfm?ClientID=15&Prod...

8TLCrawford
Maio 15, 2012, 10:27 am

That is it, thank you for the assist.

9Booksloth
Maio 15, 2012, 10:50 am

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. I suspect it is probably Mylar (or similar) and I'll be trying the non-stick, fold around idea. Will let you know how well it works.

10Keeline
Maio 15, 2012, 1:15 pm

The creasing of Mylar is only going to work well if it is thick enough (3 mil or 5 mil).

For dust jackets I use the PaperFold or SuperFold line from http://www.demco.com The SuperFold has thicker Mylar (2 mil I think) compared with 1.5 mil for the PaperFold. I get it in 300 foot rolls in a box and cut to the desired length. I usually keep two or three heights on hand: 10 inch, 12 inch, 14 inch. For the larger sizes the thicker plastic helps.

This material is sealed along one edge. I positively do not like the "center split" variety.

Heavier Mylar can be used to make a jacket for books that don't have them. The 3 mil works for small and thin books while the 5 mil is best for bigger volumes. It takes some skill and practice to get the creases right and cuts straight.

Make sure you use Mylar or another archival grade plastic as others can do damage, sticky or not.

There are only certain cases where I will let tape near any of my books. For example, I may tape the plastic of the jacket protector to the paper backing of the protector. The tape does not get applied to the book or jacket itself.

James

11WholeHouseLibrary
Maio 15, 2012, 2:38 pm

Keeline has it exactly right. I've also invested (heavily) in the Demco Mylar products - even bought the dispenser stand so every size is immediately available. Most of my larger books are already covered, and I have a lot of the 14" roll left. If it's big enough to handle your books, let me know how much you need, and I'll send it to you. I'll include anally-retentive instructions on how to work with the stuff and how to "fix" errors along the way.

As for tape, standard archival tape works pretty well, unless the book gets over about four hundred pages. My CMoS manual is 2" thick, and I doubt that even Duct Tape is going to keep the cover attached.

12eugenegant
Editado: Maio 22, 2012, 5:40 pm

Mensagem removida pelo autor.

13rxtheresa
Maio 15, 2012, 9:34 pm

Would a heat sealer work?

14Booksloth
Maio 16, 2012, 5:47 am

Thank you again WHL, it's extremely kind of you to offer. Several of the books I want to cover come in at around 17", though thankfully they are only of what I would call average thickness (mostly between 200 and 400 pages). The plastic I've got is fairly thin and flexible so I guess even the folding probably wouldn't work - however, was unaware of proper archival tape and that sounds like my best solution. Is this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Archival-Gummed-Paper-Hinging-1inx130ft/dp/B005Z3XPOK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1337161126&sr=8-2) the kind of thing I should be using?

Thank you too for everyone else's suggestions. I've got a busy couple of weeks ahead so may not get round to doing it for a while but when I do I'll do my best to try to remember to let you all know what worked.

15mtnmdjd
Editado: Ago 30, 2012, 11:38 pm

I use Brodart archival dust jacket covers. They are easy to use and work great. Other people use Demco which is fine. I agree that the center split is very annoying. Early in my collecting I had a huge roll of mylar for books without jackets. The only way to get that to stay on was an origami project that did not work on tall books because the roll was too narrow. I encourage you to avoid using glue or tape, even archival tape on the jackets or inner papers of the books as problems will occur. It is ok to tape plastic to plastic although purists say even the back of tape is damaging.

16Africansky1
Jun 9, 2012, 3:59 pm

I use a Mylar type product , clear see through material- fairly thin, and one cuts it with scissors, but can tear easily too. bought years ago so don't recall name of product but came in giant industrial rolls, bought by the weight of the roll and in 2 different sizes. Purpose is indeed to protect the dust wrappers. I found the trick to the folding problem was to choose the slightly thinner variety which takes a fold quite easily and is less expensive if there is any damage to the covering you,ve put on , it is then easily replaced. this has worked wonderfully for all my books with dws. If anyone can help me identify the product I'd be very grateful .

17fif
Ago 29, 2012, 12:42 pm

I have been using Book Wrap from thatcompanycalledif.com, and have emailed them to see what it is made of. Got a nice reply saying polypropylene. Any ideas if this is ok for long term use? Cheers Fi

18Keeline
Ago 29, 2012, 3:21 pm

Mylar is BoPET (biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate). It is an archival-grade plastic. There are several others mentioned on The American Museum of Photography site.

While doing a search for terms like (polypropylene archival) I also came upon this product page from Archival Products of Des Moines, IA. It seems to be a 3 mil thick plastic of archival quality for this purpose.

Note how the first link decries the use of vinyl as a clear enclosure that damages photos. At the very least, you have problems with the plastic sticking and damaging that which it is supposed to protect.

James

19Nicole_VanK
Ago 29, 2012, 3:27 pm

Okay, but just because it might not do for photo's doesn't mean it wouldn't work for books. Preserving early photo's is really an entirely different ballgame just because, frankly, they're unstable by their very nature.

Sticking, however, remains a bad sign whenever wherever.

20Keeline
Ago 29, 2012, 3:54 pm

Sticking is bad.

Excessive levels of acid or alkaline are bad.

Having the plastic release gasses is usually bad.

These are some of the factors which influence a plastic being declared "archival". Almost any item on paper or similar materials has similar requirements for preservation. Companies like University Products and Archival Products offer materials to libraries, museums, archives, and collectors. They will describe when the products meet national and international standards for what is currently though of as "safe" for preserving old materials. The catch-all phrase for meeting these standards is "archival."

I still recommend staying away from vinyl plastic for anything you want to preserve.

James

21Nicole_VanK
Ago 29, 2012, 4:09 pm

Absolutely agree with that. There will always remain problems, especially in the preservation of early photographs and movies (and for objects actually created on vinyl plastic - I have a couple, oy vey).

But if you're not involved with such oddities: "archival" is the key word.

22Keeline
Ago 29, 2012, 4:17 pm

Yes, the obvious example is vinyl records, often called "LPs" (for "long play") in the U.S. We have a few examples of these that are either connected with our books directly or simply use a name like "Tom Swift" for the name of the group. We have not entered these into our LT catalog and I won't promise that we will not do so but with appropriate notes in parentheses or square brackets :)

Of course, that vinyl for records is generally a hard plastic and I have not seen it stick to things in the way the soft clear vinyl of book covers does.

I know a librarian and book collector who also has a collection of vinyl records. Perhaps it would be interesting to know if he has recommendations for preservation of that material.

My instinct is that an archival grade plastic would do no additional harm except if it seals something up and the plastic releasing gasses are trapped inside to do other damage to itself or other parts like the cover, etc.

James

23fif
Ago 29, 2012, 4:52 pm

Thanks folks, think I am fine with this wrap which is easy to use. Always an answer somewhere !

24marq
Mar 29, 2013, 7:31 pm

After carefully cleaning and repairing a dust jacket, I put it back on the book last night and gave it a protective plastic cover. This morning, admiring my work, I see I have put the dust jacket on upside down!

25WholeHouseLibrary
Mar 29, 2013, 9:05 pm

Oh, thank goodness! I thought I was the only one who did things like that!

26marq
Mar 30, 2013, 3:04 am

Option 3 would be take the cover off and do it again. Option 2, try to bend the book backwards, slip the jacket and cover off and put it back on the right way up. I'm going with option 1. Put it back on the shelf and ignore it. I'm absolutely convinced that it doesn't really matter.

27libwithme
Jun 28, 2019, 11:56 am

Hi WholeHouseLibrary,

I am researching the best instructions for creating mylar book covers. I was wondering if you would be willing to send me your "anally-retentive" instructions? I would be very appreciative!

Thank you!

28WholeHouseLibrary
Jun 28, 2019, 12:14 pm

>27 libwithme: I'd be happy to. Would Tuesday be soon enough? I've got them partially written. Yeah, I know, seven years ... you'd think I would have it done by now. And I have house guests arriving for the weekend.