CONSERVATION: Sewn Pamphlets Single Signature
SCOPE
These procedures outline the construction of in-house pamphlet binders for single signature items.
DEFINITIONS
- Height refers to the dimension of the item parallel to the spine.
- Width refers to the dimension of the item perpendicular to the spine
- Depth refers to the thickness of the item across the spine
PROCEDURE
TRIMMING MATERIALS
- Select two boards at least 1 cm larger than the item on all sides
- Trim the boards as follows:
- height of the item plus 2 cm
- width of the item plus 1 cm
- Select two strips of the same color cloth
- cut one 5cm higher than the boards
- cut the other the same height as the boards
TEXT BLOCK PREPERATION
- Open pamphlet to the center fold
- Remove and discard staples
- Take the cloth strip the same height as the boards and fold in half lengthwise, with the finished surface of the cloth facing in.
- Place the cloth strip over the outside of the pamphlet fold. Using three (or more) awls, pierce evenly spaced holes through the pamphlet and cloth strip. The number of holes depends on the height of the pamphlet - usually there are three, five or seven holes.
SEWING
- Thread a needle with a piece of linen thread about twice the height of the pamphlet
- Remove the center awl
- Starting from the outside, sew the pamphlet to the cloth strip in a figure eight pattern. Remove awls as necessary, and pull the thread tight in the direction of the sewing
- Tie a square knot on the outside of the cloth strip making sure the two ends are on opposite sides of the center thread. DIAGRAMS
CASE CONSTRUCTION
- Take the second piece of cloth and fold it lengthwise with the cover surface of the cloth to the outside
- Glue up the inside of the cloth strip and place the boards on the glued cloth leaving a minimum of 1 cm in the center between the boards. Leave a larger space if the pamphlet is over 1 cm thick
- Glue down the top and bottom turn ins and let dry
- Attach a security strip to one of the boards
CASING
- The sewn signature is now attached to the case. With a waste sheet between the cloth and the pamphlet, glue one side of the cloth up, and position it in the case. Bone down.
- Flip the pamphlet over and repeat for other side
- Set aside to dry under a light weight
END PROCESSING
- Send to the Preparations and Processing Unit for completion of call numbers and discharging
- Update records and complete statistics as instructed
