ed upon as a temporary binding, then it
seems a pity to waste so much trouble on their decoration; and if they
are to be looked upon as permanent binding, it is a pity the
construction is not better.

For books of only temporary interest, the usual cloth cases answer
well enough; but for books expected to have permanent value, some
change is desirable.

Valuable books should either be issued in bindings that are obviously
temporary, or else in bindings that are strong enough to be considered
permanent. The usual cloth case fails as a temporary binding, because
the methods employed result in serious damage to the sections of the
book, often unfitting them for rebinding, and it fails as a permanent
binding on account of the absence of sound construction.

In a temporary publisher's binding, nothing should be done to the
sections of a book that would injure them. Plates should be guarded,
the sewing should be on tapes, without splitting the head and tail, or
"sawing in" the backs, of the sections; the backs should be glued up
square without backing. The case may be attached, as is now usual. For
a permanent publisher's binding, something like that recommended for
libraries (page 173) is suggested, with either leather or cloth on the
back.

At the end of the book four specifications are given (page 307). The
first is suggested for binding books of special interest or value,
where no restriction as to price is made. A binding under this
specification may be decorated to any extent that the nature of the
book justifies. The second is for good binding, for books of reference
and other heavy books that may have a great deal of wear. All the
features of the first that make for the strength of the binding are
retained, while those less essential, that only add to the appearance,
are omitted. Although the binding under this specification would be
much cheaper than that carried out under the first, it would still be
too expensive for the majority of books in most libraries; and as it
would seem to be impossible to further modify this form of binding,
without materially reducing its strength, for cheaper work, a somewhat
different system is recommended. The third specification is
recommended for the binding of the general run of small books in most
libraries. The fourth is a modification of this for pamphlets and
other books of little value, that need to be kept together tidily for
occasional reference.

Thanks, in a great me