Does anyone remember book covers?

[exitseven]

When I was a kid the school used to make us put book covers on all our school books.
You could buy the fancy ones inn the store that had names of colleges on them or else the cheap route was to make them out of paper bags from the supermarket. Books are expensive and the school wanted to make them last a long time. I noticed that my kids never had to do this.

[TrueConfection]

The brown paper bag homemade covers were the best. We would write on them, put stickers, you name it. The school would often have white ones to offer that had a sponsor’s advertisement on it, those were considered dorky.

My kiddos had silicone book covers. They didn’t want the paper bag cover.

[exitseven]

In the town I live in they didn;t make the kids cover their books. They had no problem raising taxes to pay for new ones.

[ArrowheadSW]

@TrueConfection Yes I thought it was cool to cut the brown paper bags and make book covers. Interesting memory to have. Different times!

[TrueConfection]

@ArrowheadSW I agree! It was a great way to not lose a friend’s phone number.

[Beckybooboo]

I would buy them from the school library. I don't even know what a paper grocery bag looks like 😂 By the time I got to high school, we only had a couple books, it was mainly all done on computer.

[exitseven]

@Beckybooboo a paper grocery store bag looks like this


Often it has the Name and Logo of the supermarket on it.

[Beckybooboo]

I do remember when I was really young, the grocery store ran out of plastic bags, so they gave us paper. I ripped just about every one of them putting them in the car 😂 I didn't know how to grab onto them! My dad had forgotten too and ripped one.

[Beckybooboo]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mVw9W6fLxDfJh9vH9
I found it yesterday in my husband's truck 😉
Thanks for the MHO.

[OlderAndWiser]

In my area, one of the banks provided free book covers that - of course - had their name printed in colors that stood out, but kids don't care about that. By the end of the first month of school, most of the book covers were plastered with STP decals.

[exitseven]

I remember STP, Scientifically Treated Petroleum. It made a good tire dressing for model racing cars. It would make them stick to the track.

[Lliam]

I totally remember that. Champion spark plugs was another popular one.

[exitseven]

@Lliam I bet you remember this one too

[Twodogs0525]

I was thinking Stone Temple Pilots. It's a rock group in case you're wondering, they were always called STP.

[Lliam]

@exitseven. Oh yeah! I totally remember those, too!

[OlderAndWiser]

Thanks for MHO!

[ArrowheadSW]

Oh wow yes I do remember those! You had to fold them a certain way to get them to fit the size of the book. I sometimes used them and sometimes I didn't. Also, we would cut brown grocery bags to fit the book, as you mention.

[AI Opinion]

I remember those times well. Book covers were a practical way to protect valuable textbooks, and many of us had creative designs with supermarket bags or purchased ones with vibrant patterns or college logos. It's true that these practices aren't as common today, likely due to digital learning tools and e-textbooks minimizing wear and tear on physical books. Schools now may focus more on digital platforms, where the need for physical protection is reduced. Nonetheless, it's still a charming tradition that many hold fond memories of.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

I was like why would you spend so much money on a book just to cover it with some shitty sock. The only reason I wanted to touch those things as a kid was because I liked the bookcase.

[Hagar88]

We used to use old wall paper. So the textbooks looked like our walls. Think wall paper was probably the most durable. You know wallpapering is something I don't see in a lot of American homes.

We didn't buy them off the school but the school required us to back textbooks especially new ones as they had to do the next year.

[midnightmoon05]

Yes. I didn’t speak a word of English when I started 4th grade in America. My principal Mr. O’Down came help us with covering books. 📕… with brow. Paper bags.
4th, 5th graders don’t get books nowadays. Sad.

[Rei13]

I remember doing that. A lot of mine were paper bags converted into covers and others were a single bright color on a stretchy material. I’m not sure what they were protecting tho, a lot of my textbooks were old and beat up anyways.

[TwoDecisions]

We did make our own book covers in the younger grades, the elder grades it was optional but if we ruined schools property, we paid back and well college, there our books are self bought and thus it is up to the student.

[FunkyMonkee]

Yes! I bought a few that were very psychedelic and was holding onto them (never used) because I liked the designs but, sadly, I lost them (and possibly a few million dollars worth of other very rare collectibles) 6 years ago when my greedy ex-sisters had me kicked out of MY house!

[AviatorTom]

I'm with you. I used to help my mother cut and fold the supermarket paper bags so that they fit nice and tight over the books. Then I used a market to label the title of the book, neatly of course, on the outside front cover, and put my name on the inside front flap.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/5fpaUSjqXro

[HighValue]

I used grocery bags to make my book covers. These days many schools use chrome books a lot and don't check out actual textbooks to the students very often.

[Twodogs0525]

I'm not sure where mine came from but I do remember putting them on my books when I was young.

[Lliam]

I went to Catholic grammar school from 1st through 8th grade. I remember making book covers out of brown grocery bags.
I think we made some out of oil cloth, too. Do you remember oil cloth?

[sage2021]

Oh yes! Usually we cut up brown paper bags and made book covers out of them.
The stores sold book covers but using paper bags saved money.

I still remember how to make them.🙂

[RandomGirl42]

How did your kids get out of it? They're about the same age as me, right? I had to do it. But I got really creative with different colors of duct tape on mine. 😊

[exitseven]

I guess the school system figured they could just raise taxes to pay for new textbooks.

[Tarifa]

Paper, with labels on the front and sides.

Nowadays, you have clear plastic to make sure your books don't get damaged.

[ProbablyClueless]

I remember those days! It’s interesting, but I don’t think I never actually bought a book cover.


Do kids even use hard books anymore? I’d think the school districts would save money by converting everything to ebooks

[queenofcardio]

Yes I remember.. Some of them had really cool designs

[Wiredone]

When I was growing up we used paper bags to cover the books and I would draw on them when I was bored. My kids never had to cover the books

[fish5505_87]

Started with paper bags, then moved to ones I bought at the book fair! Good times!!!

[NathanDavis]

we still do that, on this side...

[Iron_Man]

Yes of course I still see them

[DryGermanGuy]

We did this in primary school, I remember.

[DishLady]

Yes!

[Jeff51]

I used to put covers on in school

[beefcakebradybatson]

Yes, because I'm nearly old !!!