1. Book Covering Instructions

2. First thing first, take “ownership” of the textbook issued to you by doing the following…. 1)Using pen, neatly write your first and last BIRTH CERTIFICATE name inside the front cover on the next blank line. 2)Take the next two minutes to examine that edition CAREFULLY so you’re not held accountable for a book fine in December. Do not write as many random/bogus things as you can generate; instead, check these things:  Binding—crack, damage to ends?  Front & back covers—writing, white-out, gashes, etc.?  Writing throughout?  Water damage?  Writing on page ends?

3. STEP 1--Cut Open a Brown Paper Bag Photo © Terri Mauro Cut open a brown paper shopping bag, the kind you get at the grocery store. Start by cutting down one corner, from top to bottom, then cut around three sides of the bottom flap. Open the bag up and flatten it out on the table.

4. STEP 2--Cut Off the Bottom Flap Photo © Terri Mauro Finish preparing the paper bag by cutting off the bottom flap. This should give you a large rectangular piece of brown paper.

5. STEP 3--Fold Paper Up Along Top and Bottom of Cover Photo © Terri Mauro Place the book in the center of the paper. Wrap the paper up across the bottom of the book and make a crease along the bottom cover. Repeat for the top cover.

6. STEP 4--Fold Paper Down Along Crease at Top and Bottom Photo © Terri Mauro Remove the book from the paper. Fold the paper up at the bottom crease and down at the top crease. You should have a strip of paper big enough to cover the book from top to bottom.

7. STEP 5--Center the Book on the Paper Photo © Terri Mauro Place the book back in the center of the paper. Wrap the paper across the front of the book from left to right, and adjust the book position until the two ends of the paper are even.

8. STEP 6--Wrap Cover Around Front of Book Photo © Terri Mauro Fold the overlap around the front cover of the book and make a crease. If the flap is too long, trim to reach two-thirds to three-quarters of the way across the book cover.

9. STEP 7--Insert Book Front Cover into Paper-Bag Cover Photo © Terri Mauro Insert the front cover of the book into the slot created by the paper folded over at the top and the bottom. Slide the paper down over the book until you hit the crease.

10. STEP 8--Complete Front Cover Photo © Terri Mauro Close the front cover of the book, pulling the paper tight across the front of the book. The front cover is now complete.

11. STEP 9--Insert Book Back Cover into Paper-Bag Cover Photo © Terri Mauro Fold the remaining paper around the back cover of the book and make a crease. Insert the back cover of the book into the slot created by the paper folded over at the top and the bottom. Slide the paper down over the book until you hit the crease.

12. STEP 10--Ta-Da! Completed Cover! If the cover fits snugly, you can stop at this point. If it seems a little loose or the top and bottom folds are not lying flat, you can use small pieces of tape to pull the front and the inside flap together a little more securely.