A pro tip for WASTE BOOKS

Hi there! Your professional librarian here with a pro tip on keeping your Field Notes Brand WASTE BOOKS in good shape while you slap it around on your daily walks and jaunts.

The problem is that wear and tear on the spine of the notebook causes the cover to start to pull away from the staples and, if you’re not careful, will finally disintegrate, even if — like me — you have a leather cover that you made at Backstreet Arts to help protect it.

Fortunately, as a professional librarian [retired], I had at least one session on book repair when I was getting my masters degree in librarianing last century, so I am more than qualified to assist you in this matter.

Step 1: Buy Kapco’s Easy Bind clear polyester repair tape.

The roll will last you quite a while: For each Field Notes Brand WASTE BOOK, you will use three strips at 5.25” each, i.e., 15.75” for each notebook. With 100 feet per roll, you’ll be able to reinforce 76 WASTE BOOKS before you have to order a new roll.

Step 2: Cut three 5.25” strips.

Notice how I’ve trimmed the ends. This prevents the problem you might encounter of straight ends sometimes finding their way over the edge of the notebook.

Here’s the really cool professional librarian thing: You will notice the little strip down the middle of your tape — it peels off, and you can use that thin strip of adhesive to position your tape before actually applying it to the notebook.

Step 3: Apply a strip to the outside of the spine. (not pictured) Repeat inside.

First, remove the center strip, then position it.

Now simply remove the strip on one side and apply…

… and then the other strip.

Repeat with the back inside cover.

And you’re done!

Smart people do this before putting the WASTE BOOK into service, which is my usual practice. I forgot to do so with this one, for some reason, but better late than never.

Now, dear readers, I will be back next week — I will be heading off to Emergence to camp with the hippies the rest of this week. Keep MAKING THE THING THAT IS NOT!