Book Repair at the State Library

This page will provide some guidance and instruction on book repair based on workshops held at the State Library and the State Library's internal book repair program. This information is intended to be utilized for repairing circulating case-bound books and not for rare or valuable books as methods and level of skill and education needed differ. 

Here are some resources for making book repairs. Please check back for updated instruction sheets as this is a living document.

Recommended book repair supplies and tools

Essentials
X-acto knife and blades, or break away knife
Microspatula
Bone folder
Waxed paper
PVA Adhesive
Pencil
Paper towels
Scissors
Glue brush medium (1/2”)
Glue Brush fine (artist brush fine tip)
12” Steel Ruler
Cleaning pad (eraser dust)
Weights to flatten/hold down repairs while drying
Mull/super cloth
Self-adhesive acid-free tissue mending tape
Book cloth (paper backed) in various colors
Off-white end paper and white endpaper ( the most common endpaper colors)
20lb or 24lb acid free paper (white and off white) for spine relining, preservation, photocopying

Additional nice to have
Abbey PH Pen (for testing acidity of books and supplies)
Prismacolor (Sanford) Magic Rub eraser or Staedtler Mars eraser
Glue Brush large
Soot/dirt cleaning sponge
Self-healing cutting mat
Paper cutter
Board cutter
Book cleaner (chemical) (test before using)
Longer steel rulers
Book press and press boards
Heating/Tacking iron
Lifting knife
Japanese tissue
Wheat starch paste adhesive (pre-cooked kind) (if using Japanese tissue for repairs)
Linen/cambric tape gummed or ungummed (for hinge strengthening or text block consolidation).
Binders board (if need to replace a board or for rebinding)
Distilled water for paste and thinning glue
Solvent for tape removal (alcohol, acetone, naptha, or odorless mineral spirits. Test before using.) and blotter paper to absorb residue
Tweezers
Leather for leather book repair (old law books likely sheepskin)

For Sewing repairs:
Awl
Linen thread
Darner’s needles
Beeswax for thread

Sources of Supplies
https://www.talasonline.com/
https://www.gaylord.com/
https://www.demco.com/
https://www.lineco.com/
https://www.shopbrodart.com/
https://hollanders.com/