[xyclos]

I was in cub/boy scouts as a kid. One of the first things I did when I got my handbooks was cover the existing binding in duct tape. I even managed to get beige tape to match the color of the boy scout one. Many of the other kids had books with pages falling out of the binding. Mine, on the other hand, held strong. About 20 years later, I still have the books in decent condition with their original duct tape bindings.

[adhesive_wombat]

Similarly, I used to cover school books in brown paper and then over the top of that with sticky-backed plastic, which turn stuck Doreen only on the insides of the cover. Because it wasn't actually attached to the outside of the cover like just the plastic would be, and it would not tear like only brown paper (the actual required method) it formed an incredibly tough, slightly cushioned protective layer. Only my books came back at the end of the year without dog eared covers and dented spine ends.

One teacher had a moan because it wasn't strictly regulation but even they had to eventually concede it was a lot better.