Gary L. Frost

Coralville, Iowa

Conservation Standard Paper Cased Bindings

Two variations on the case binding for use in conservation. The structure replaces questionable modern leathers and vellums with handmade papers for greater permanence. Textblocks sewn using a linked stitch with pleated concertina. A hardcover and limp variety with yapp edge are shown. 19.5 x 14.5 x 2 centimeters. Created 1980.

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Gary Frost was born in 1941, and began working at the Newberry Library in Chicago in 1969 when he joined the staff under the supervision of Paul Banks and Norvell Jones working his way up to managing the Newberry’s conservation program. In 1981, he joined founder Paul Banks as a member of the faculty at Columbia University’s School of Library Service Preservation/Conservation training, and followed it on its move to become the Preservation and Conservation Studies Program (PCS) at the University of Texas at Austin, where he remained until 1999. He also taught at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and developed innovative new methods of treating circulating collections, which were based on early binding styles while at BookLab. A co-founder of Paper and Book Intensive (PBI) in 1983, he continues to serve on its board. In 1999, he came to the University of Iowa to lead the conservation program started by Bill Anthony. He has published numerous articles on the theory and practice of book conservation as well as the implication of digitization for reading. Website at www.futureofthebook.com.