n. (also slip case)a cover, open on one side, designed to slide over and protect an itemRoberts and Etherington 1982, 239A more-or-less elaborate box made to order for a specific book, or other archival material, and used for protection. The simplest form of the slipcase is a cloth- or paper-covered box with one open edge into which the book is slipped with its spine exposed. . . . ¶ A slipcase should fit the book it protects. The inner box, if any, otherwise the case itself, should hold the book snugly so that it cannot move and rub against the board, which in turn should provide a sliding fit in the case.Smith 1989The slipcase is made slightly deeper than the book it contains in order to give protection to both the spine and fore-edge. To prevent damage during removal and insertion of the book, a ribbon pull is attached into one side of the slipcase. . . . ¶ This basic design gives excellent protection to the book at its head and tail, as well as to the spine and fore-edge. The sides are protected from abrasion against the adjacent book. To give further protection—to hold on loose covers and to protect the book from abrasion against the slipcase—a loose cover of 3-[m]il polyester film is wrapped around the book.Ritzenthaler 2010, 209Slipcases do not provide safe storage for bound materials. Volumes are abraded every time someone slips them in and out of the cases, and spines are left exposed to light and atmospheric pollutants and thus suffer differential damage and fading from the rest of the volume.
Notes
Slipcases made from two pieces of heavy board were often used for individual phonograph records. For books and albums, the slipcase has five sides of board; the spine is usually visible through the open side.
