PSA: The local library's book sale in Portland showed me something about modern covers

Three years ago, I bought a stack of old hardbacks there for rebinding practice. Last month, I went back and saw a clear change. The newer donated books had covers that felt thin and flimsy, almost like thick paper. I tried to fix a split spine on one last week, and the cover material just tore. Has anyone else had trouble working with these newer, cheaper cover stocks?

3 comments

3 Comments

avery3661mo ago

Actually, cheaper materials make sense for most books today. People read on phones or buy paperbacks they just toss. Why spend money on a hardcover that won't last? It's a waste for a regular novel. The flimsy cover did its job, it got the book sold and read once.

noahw531mo ago

But what if you want to keep it for a reread? I've had cheap paperbacks fall apart before I even finished them.

gavinwood1mo ago

Okay but "the flimsy cover did its job" feels like a low bar. If the book falls apart on the first read, that's just bad. It's not about needing a hardcover, it's about basic quality. A paperback should survive being read more than once without turning into loose pages. That's not asking for a lot, it's just expecting the thing to work.