Back to School Series: Covering Books
Back to School Series: Covering Books
Some people find contacting their children’s schoolbooks very therapeutic and others get sweaty palms and a twitch at the mere thought of it. Whatever you may feel about it, labelling and sorting and covering books is something that happens year in year out and just has to be faced!
ChickPea’s books for kindy arrived today in a box from Sequel, and PudStar’s will be here next week.
My (now retired) library technician Julie, was the master of contacting and I’ve asked her to share her tips below!
Julie’s tips for contacting books:
Always use the best quality contact you can find and/or afford. We use RAECO brand in the library. Share a roll amongst family, neighbours or classmates – it really is a good investment! Thick, good quality contact is the number one tip for ease of covering and less tears all round.
- Open each size of book and measure and cut contact to size – allow 5cm around book.
- Fold contact in half and pop the contact inside the front cover – then repeat for all your book sizes. A production line for each step is the best way to go so cut out all the contact you need first and keep it inside the front cover.
- To cover each book, start by peeling half the backing off the contact to fold line.
- Carefully place one side of the book on the contact – from the fold line and then working to the outer edge.
- Turn book over and smooth out any bubbles in the contact – a wooden ruler is a good tool for this.
- Snip excess contact to book corners and fold flaps to inside of book cover.
- With the uncovered half of the book facing up, pull backing off remaining contact slowly while smoothing contact onto book.
- As step 5.
Bubbles don’t occur when you work carefully from the middle outwards and smooth gently but firmly as you go. And when you use good quality contact!
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I gave admired the ruby covers for some time. I think Ellie really needs them. So do I for my teacher book.
Oh! Good idea on teacher book!
I love the Ruby red shoes series, even though it’s a little old for my daughter yet. Would love to win these to put away for her to use. I could use them for school in the meantime maybe! 😉
I was excited to read about the contact tips! Julie is so very lucky! I can’t wait to be a Library Techie! I contacted my own books as a young one and loved it. This year I am contacting my daughter’s in clear contact after we decorate them ourselves (I may regret that part!) as she heads into Year One. (entire school book list already sorted a week ago! I love stationery so I am in my element getting it all myself). RAECO brand noted! I have 15 metres of Studymate Contact (OfficeWorks) and 5m of ConTact brand. Hmmmm, having thoughts….could you kindly add my name into the competition in case I have a mental breakdown, I may need some Spencils. hehehe. Daughters book list has 17 exercise books and 3 scrapbooks! Last year I bought some Spiderman and Mickey Mouse contact and as I peeled off the backing, it was metallic/foil type contact. Terrible. I cursed it immensely. Creased lines everywhere. Forehead and on the books!! HA!
You’re going to make a great tech! Studymate contact isn’t toooooooo bad!!!!!!! I used to LOVE collaging my books every year!
I love the Ruby red shoes books and covers even though my 2 year old is a bit little yet! Would love to win these for her or maybe I could use them for my teacher books for school in the meantime! 😉
I am currently under cover … which is a good thing, because it’s raining. Ten covers? That’s good too. Because I am a big fan of the metric system. Spencil? That’s cool. because I love anagrams.
It took me a while to work out your message!!! ha ha ha!
Love ruby red shoes! Just gorgeous art work and so pretty. In fact I just Introduced my niece to ruby red shoes today!
Well done you for intro-ing your niece to these gorgeous books!
Ruby red shoes covers would be nice for my Ruby red shoes 🙂
i used the covers last year after having a bubbly disaster with contact. I was so distraught as I thought I knew how to cover books. But alas the cheap bugger from Officeworks had me crying under the table, it was what the kids really wanted with lovely alien prints. So I spat the dummy and said no more and bought the covers for my sanity!!!
Thanking for this! I have always wondered about the best brand of contact. I have had many disagreements with the cheap stuff! Can I please enter the comp for the Spencil Ruby Red Shoes book covers?
This would be great to win, not only are we Ruby Red Shoe fans but my eldest daughter is starting prep this year!
The Ruby Red Shoes rabbit doll is the cutest! I didn’t know those book covers excited so now I really want some!
Would love these! As would my girls! Gorgeous.
I have just discovered Spencil and book covers this year. I have been contacting books for 5 years I never knew there was another way. My year1 daughter would live the ruby Red Shoes covers they are Devine.
Contact – isn’t it supposed to be wrinkly with bubbles? Maybe I need a Spencil Cover?
HA! Best comment ever!
We are big Ruby Red Shoes fans in our house and my eldest girl is starting her school adventure this year so these covers would be amazing!
Abbey would be most pleased to win these instead of having to re-use the existing ones for a third year in a row! I love books, but the thought of covering/contacting makes me roll my eyes & walk in the opposite direction.
My favourite time of year!! I get so excited walking into the shops and seeing all the stationary!!! I love wrapping paper and contact
on the boys books…Love the book cover but they are so easy.
love the quality of Spencil covers & the Ruby Red Shoes ones look so cute! Hope I’m a winner!!
I am a contact / book covering tragic from way back. I used to cut pictures from old greeting cards, glue them onto brown paper covers and then cover the lot with clear contact. I obviously had much more time on my hands when I was a kid, compared to now as a mother. I’d love to be more creative with my book covering for my own children but these Ruby Red Shoes covers are just gorgeous and remind me of the pictures I used to use.
Megan (great name BTW)…I still have some of my books from my schooldays and I’ve done the same – brown paper and cards! I used to spend days covering them! What happened to all that time?!
Hi Megan,
Thanks so much for the free advertising for Sequel Books the supplier of your kid’s school packs.
Remember parents if your school has had a shocking supplier this year, give us a call/email.
Also even if we don’t provide the packs to your school you can purchase your goodies from us. Shop conveniently, lots of parking and a big, air conditioned showroom/shop. That’s all we do, books & stationery to schools & parents.
I love Sequel!
I agree with all Julie’s tips……and yes after covering tens of thousands…..I still do find it relaxing……