The National Diet Library carries out binding and other restoration work on old books to ensure that valuable items are passed down to future generations. This section introduces several aspects of the Library's binding work on old Western-language books.

Stitching means using linen or other thread to bind quires produced by folding sheets of paper.

Basically it involves notching the edges of the quires (sewing in) so that the thread can pass through the same location on each quire and making holes in the spine beforehand for the thread to pass through. "Ficelle" (the French word for string) or tape is affixed to the spine at a right angle, and quires are stitched one by one, hooking the thread through the "Ficelle" or tapes.

After the quires are stitched, the processes of rounding off the spine (rounding) and making the back edge protrude (backing) are also performed. The spine of the book is then fortified with "backlining" material to keep the back and its edges in good shape. Headbands are also put on or sewn into the upper and lower ends of the spine.

Usually this stage involves clamping the spine in a press and applying glue or another adhesive. Strips of cloth called "gauze" are bonded to the spine for reinforcement and then pressed using a spatula or other tools to harden the spine. The final step is drying the cloth.

Originally, headbands were attached to the upper end of the spine to prevent it from being damaged when the book was pulled out from the shelf. Today, they are put on as a decoration rather than for the original practical purpose. Manufactured headbands are available commercially, but when necessary, they are knitted by hand.

Back pasting involves pasting an original back to the spine of the book.

Hot stamping involves using gold or other foil to stamp letters and patterns on the spine or covers of books.

Type and patterns are set in a frame called a "chase" and heated, and then sheets of foil are placed on the heated letters and patterns to be pressed.

These are examples of the tools used for bookbinding.

Click on the image at the left to view the larger image with the names of each tool.

Marbled paper is often used for the end leaves and covers of old Western-language books. Pigments are added to a viscous solution, which is then gently stirred using a stick or comb. A sheet of paper is carefully laid on the surface and the patterns thus created are transferred to paper to give a marbled appearance.