{"id":5794,"date":"2026-03-27T11:41:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T15:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/?p=5794"},"modified":"2026-03-27T12:07:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T16:07:29","slug":"a-colibri-jacket-with-an-encapsulated-spine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/2026\/03\/a-colibri-jacket-with-an-encapsulated-spine","title":{"rendered":"A CoLibri Jacket with an Encapsulated Spine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

UC Libraries are faced with many books in need repair. Often, books must be thoughtfully housed while they wait their turn for treatment priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For books with a detached spine, this option can be challenging to find a solution to prevent the spine from becoming lost or crushed (especially if fragile leather!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an alternative <\/strong>to storing a loose spine in a baggy or envelope, or holding the spine in place with a cloth tie, behold a satisfying and easy solution<\/strong>…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

…to encapsulate the loose spine in a SCRAP of a polyethylene CoLibri<\/a> jacket, then attach it to the jacket itself!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This option gives the look and feel of a repaired binding, with none of the work! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Detached
Cloth covered binding with a fully detached spine ready for a CoLibri<\/a> jacket<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To Encapsulate<\/strong>:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1. First make a polyethylene pocket with the spine inside. Create a pocket taller than the book height. Weld the pocket only on the long sides at this time. Continue to leave the length taller than the book at both the top and bottom. You will weld the head and tail later and will need this length for both welds!<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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2. Grab a CoLibri jacket that is larger than the height of the book. Wrap the CoLibri jacket around the book. Take care to make the book squared and centered in the jacket.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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3. Position the encapsulated spine under the jacket against the spine of the book. Center it and align as close as possible to where it would have once sat.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Book<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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4. Place light weights on the opened covers to help hold the pages upright and prevent the jacket from sliding. Make any last minute spine adjustments at this time.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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5. Weld the jacket at the head to secure the pocket in place.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Book<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

6. Next, weld the jacket at the fore edges. At this time you can close the book and wiggle the book side to side to also help re-position the spine into place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7. Weld the CoLibri jacket at the tail. The pocket will now be attached to the top and bottom welds on the jacket!<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Book<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This solution results in a spine that is safely held to the book during storage without a concern of it becoming lost.  The only way it can become lost is if the jacket is removed from the covers!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Overall
Encapsulated spine is securely attached with CoLibri jacket.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Book
When book is opened, the encapsulated spine pops away from book.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Below are two preventive-conservation treatment reports where this option was successfully utilized for two leather bound books. Click the links to view the reports on the University of Cincinnati’s Digital Resource Commons<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n