Most of the Temari books in publication, or even out of print, are high-quality paperbound. While a durable binding technique, it can eventually give in to wear and tear, especially if it has been previously owned and used. The need to protect, restore and repair them has come up over the years on the TalkTemari list so we figured it's time to share the collected ideas for anyone needing to take action. Needless to say there are as many ideas and preferences for this as there are people, and this is certainly not meant to be a collective idea list. These can be applied to books you wish to make more user-friendly to use, protect from regular wear & tear, and/or need to repair (if it's already too late!).

        Some stitchers find the "reverse layout" of Japanese books something that they can't adjust to - and there is a solution. You can take the book to a service bureau, office supply store or printing service and ask for it to be spiral bound. They will cut off the binding on the right-hand side and replace it with the "usual" spiral coil - either plastic or coated wire (most prefer the coated wire, if it's available. It takes less page space and is a smoother option) on the left-hand side.  If you are bothered by the reverse orientation of Japanese books, this is a solution BUT consider this carefully to see if it affects the overall layout- it can depend on the individual book. Be sure to double check with the people doing the cutting and binding for you to be sure how much margin you will lose on each side or not) and make your decision accordingly (usually this is not a problem but it's something to be sure about). Check to be sure that you are not losing printed material or diagrams/photos etc along the edges being cut. It's also been noted that if the store requires you to leave your book, it may not be a good idea - try to have it done while you wait and watch (usually not a problem). 

        This procedure can also be applied to Western-style layout books that you wish to have lay flat when opened. However, there are some less "destructive" goodies that may help: there are little gadgets that can be purchased that hold paper-bound books open (check out places like Barnes & Noble, and try a Google Product Search), as well as small, collapsable book racks for readers that also hold books open while being used. I personally use a gadget that is a strip of leather with small weights inserted on each end - it just lays across your book while it is open.   

       If you are going to rebind, you can also consider laminating the pages, since the binding will be cut off and the pages loose in the process. There is both heat and self-stick lamination; heat tends to be a heavier grade of plastic. Some people do this for the covers only, which can be a big help in protecting the book. Office stores and educator/teacher stores will do laminating, usually by the linear foot. You can also purchase adhesive laminating sheets or rolls but be aware that getting a piece of lamination flat on an 8 x 10 inch (give or take) page can require more than two hands (seriously).

       The self-stick laminating can also be applied to book covers that have not been cut apart; use a sheet of lamination that is about an inch larger than needed in each dimension (be sure to measure how much is needed by wrapping around the book with the book closed flat). Apply the laminating sheet to the outer cover, and miter the corners to turn an edge into the inside face of each cover. Trim even with the top of the spine. Again, some extra hands help to get it smoothly applied without air pockets or wrinkles.

       If you need to repair rips, tears, etc., be sure to use archival-quality tape (not cellophane). Given the scrap booking popularity, this is not hard to find now in craft or art supply stores. You can also search out library tape. If you are tight on margin space for having a spiral binding put on, you can "extend" the page by running tape sides (extending off the edge of the page) or laminate the page with an extended side so that you have something to "punch" for the binding without going through the actual book page.

       If you've already given the book a good workout, or you purchased it used with wear and tear, there are ways to extend the life. The suggestions offered above can be used. Several ideas were floated for this, including the tried and true ring binder with sheet protectors to hold individual pages. The big advantage to this system is that you can remove the page(s) you wish to work from and easily return them to the book, while still having them protected. Another option is using presentation binders, which are pre-bound "notebooks" consisting of a poly binder and the pages are "sheet protectors" - sleeves that you slide pages into. The pre-bound format is great since you don't have to deal with the extra bulk of a ring binder, and the perform like a well-broken-in paperbound book (only much more durable). These presentation books can be found sometimes in office supply stores, but more often and with a larger selection of sizes, in art supply sources. A leading name is Itoya (I have no connection with them). This can work especially well if the binding is already "letting go" and you have loose pages: take apart the rest of the binding and slide the pages into the sleeves of the presentation book (Itoya has styles available up to 200 sleeves). Online art supply sites usually have a good selection, as well.