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Glossary of Book Terms

The following terms describe the different parts of a book as well as various reservation materials. These definitions derive from the “Glossary of Binding Terms” hosted by Book Arts Web.** To view the complete list click here.

  • Board is a general term used for pasteboard, millboard, strawboard, etc., all of which are used to form the foundation for book covers. They are made of various pulped or laminated fibrous materials pressed into large, flat sheets, which are then cut to size and covered with cloth, leather, paper, or other materials, to form the book covers. Also called cover boards, or book boards.
  • Book Cloth is specially prepared cloth material used as a covering material for book covers. A thin, woven cloth (like muslin) that has been dyed, filled, impregnated or coated with some compound, and subjected to heat and pressure. Book cloth falls into three main categories: starch-filled (where the spaces in the cloth weave are filled with starch, sometimes called sized book cloth), acrylic-, pyrozylin-, or vinyl-impregnated (where these compounds fill the spaces in the cloth weave, as with starch-filled, and plastic coated. Book cloth is lighter weight than buckram and is available in a range of grades and colors.
  • Buckram Cloth is a heavy-weave cotton cloth filled, impregnated, or coated with different compounds (mainly, starch and pyroxylin but also other materials) to enhance body, finish, and durability.
  • The Case of a book cover consists of two boards, an inlay, and covering material. The case is made separately from the text block and is later attached to it in a step called casing-in. (LBI Standard, Glossary, pg. 13).
  • Flyleaf is the leaf (or leaves) forming that part of the folded endsheet not pasted down to the inside of the cover board. Its function is to protect the first or last leaves of the textblock. (see pastedown)
  • Head is the top edge of a leaf, board, or bound volume, opposite from the surface on which the volume rests when it is shelved upright. (LBI Standard, Glossary, pg. 14).
  • Headband is a small ornamental band, generally of mercerized cotton or silk, which, in most modern publisher’s trade bindings, is glued on the head as well as the tail of the textblock spine of a book. Modern headbands imitate the sewn-on headbands that functioned to protect the head and tail of early bindings. The band at the tail of the book is sometimes called the tailboard; although both bands are usually called the headbands.
  • Hinge is the flexible part of the cover on which the boards swing open. (see inner hinge and outer hinge)
  • Japanese Tissue is a soft, strong, slightly transparent, long-fibered, and absorbent paper made from the fibers of a variety of plants common to Japan, especially the mulberry. It is available in a variety of thicknesses and colors. It is a very versatile paper, and according to the thickness used, it can be employed for patching leaves, for overall lining of leaves as a reinforcement, for mending tears, for reinforcing the folds of sections, or for mending inner hinges.
  • Leaf is a single sheet of paper or half of a folded sheet of paper. (LBI Standard, Glossary, pg. 15).
  • Linings are layers of cloth (super) and paper used for reinforcing and stiffening the textblock spine. One of two layers of material are frequently glued to the textblock spine after it has been rounded and backed. Super is usually the first spine lining, and the second lining is a strip of light weight paper, called a paper lining. In some modern publisher’s bindings super may not be used at all (or be of an inferior quality), with only a paper lining being glued down. In many publisher’s adhesive bindings, linings may not be used at all; the textblock is not reinforced at all and is held together simply with a layer of glue. Ideally, textblock spine linings should reinforce the glue and help hold the sections together.
  • Pastedown happens when half of an endsheet is pasted to the inside of the cover board. Also called board paper, end lining, and lining paper.
  • PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate) is an emulsion adhesive; a flexible adhesive that dries quickly and is considered permanent. Results in a very strong bond.

 

  • Japanese Tissue is a soft, strong, slightly transparent, long-fibered, and absorbent paper made from the fibers of a variety of plants common to Japan, especially the mulberry. It is available in a variety of thicknesses and colors. It is a very versatile paper, and according to the thickness used, it can be employed for patching leaves, for overall lining of leaves as a reinforcement, for mending tears, for reinforcing the folds of sections, or for mending inner hinges.
  • Super is an open-weave variety of coarse, sized fabric – usually muslin or something looking like cheesecloth – used for reinforcing or stiffening the textblock spine of a casebound book. The super forms the first spine lining on the textblock. The excess (super hinge) that extend (usually one inch) beyond the edges of the textblock spine is used to attach the textblock into its case. Also called mull, crash, and gauze.
  • Tail of a volume is the bottom portion of the cover spine. Also called the foot. (see head)
  • Text Block is the main block of sections or leaves, including endsheets and spine linings, which is bound together and then attached to the case (cover). Also called book clock and body of the book.
  • Textblock Spine is the back or folded edges of a group of sewn sections or the glued back edge of a block of leaves of an adhesive binding.Whether flat backed or rounded and backed, it’s usually glued and lined with cloth and paper (super and paper linings). Also called, spine, back, and backbone.

**Book Arts Web, “Glossary of Binding Terms.” Last Modified 9/13/2014. Retrieved from: http://www.philobiblon.com/gbwarticle/bindterm.htm