Reference books should be bound in the same way as fiction or juvenile books, except that morocco, instead of cowhide, should be used for books constantly handled. Books used only occasionally should be covered with cloth made according to the Specifications of the Bureau of Standards. Very heavy, thick volumes, such as dictionaries, should have all the strengthening devices and especially should have the bands and canton flannel on the back placed in split boards or between two boards glued together. It is impossible to bind such books too strongly. In rare cases it may be well to sew heavy books constantly used on raised bands, to have leather corners, and a strip of leather along the bottom of each board.
LAW BOOKS
Some of the professions have conventional ways of binding professional books. In the law, for example, it was formerly customary to bind all law books in full sheep of the natural color. When sheep fell into disrepute, the law publishers began to substitute cloth similar in shade to the sheep generally used—a decided gain for law libraries.
Supplement the general specifications by the following:
1. End papers and fly-leaves must be guarded with jaconet, as described in specifications for fiction and juvenile books, page 93.
2. First and last sections must be guarded with jaconet.
3. All maps and charts must be backed with muslin and not folded unless necessary.
4. (a) Bancroft Legal buckram (the lightest shade made), or Holliston Mills Library buckram No. 32, should be used for covering.
(b) Books used constantly should be bound in half Turkey morocco or Niger morocco.