Jackets recommended: the case for preserving dust jackets in research libraries

This paper will provide a historical overview of dust jackets and present a cost-effective mass approach to their treatment. Research libraries generally treat dust jackets as extraneous to the physical integrity of new acquisitions and consequently discard them as part of the shelf preparation process. This practice is diametrically opposed to the normal operating procedures for most public libraries, where the application of polyester or polypropylene "cover protectors" is common and is observed to prolong the durability of publishers' bindings four-hundred to one thousand percent before rebinding is required.