What’s the deal with Glued Spines?
Can they be rebound?
Let’s have a quick discussion about them. (Photo includes a sewn spine rebind.)
Publishers have two different construction styles when they create any book, not just a Bible. One type of construction is constructed like your Bible. The other construction method is known as a sewn spine. Sewn spines are the preferred construction method as each page is ultimately sewn into a solid spine. That type of construction will far outlast a glued spine. While every book/Bible has some type of glue helping hold the text block together, a glued spine relies completely on glue. There's no thread helping hold the pages in place. (I'm simplifying the total extent of the difference in these constructions, but I hope it helps you understand the difference.)
Glued spine books/Bibles will eventually fail, and much sooner than a sewn spine. Typically the first thing you see happen is individual, or a section of text, breaking loose from the rest. Once this begins, it will only get worse. A key difference from glued and sewn text blocks is the way the pages are assembled. In a glued spine block, the pages are laid one on top of the other, individual sheets, that are only held in place by a thin layer of glue as the spine.
A sewn spine is completely different. Multiple "signatures" are created. A signature is a group of pages stacked one on top of the other, The paper is longer, allowing the pages to be folded in the center, which becomes known as the gutter in a book. Thread is then stitched through multiples of these pages in the center fold. Each signature is secure to itself. All of the signatures are then stacked in order and the thread then stitches all of the signatures together as the spine and glue is used to fully seal the spine. The strength of this construction is considerably more than the other method.
Rebinding is expensive, so I want you to be able to make an educated decision. I generally tell people I don't really recommend rebinding a glued spine Bible. However, some have specific sentimental reasons to do it. Can it be done, Yes. Can I reinforce it and make it stronger than it was originally made? Yes, to a point. The only thing I can do to reinforce it is to put the block back together and cut grooves, about 1/8" deep and about one inch apart, all the way along the spine. I then insert and glue in cords. Those cords will mimic a sewn spine, but it still won't equal a well made sewn spine.
A drawback to inserting cords is that it will tighten the gutter (the center part of your Bible where the opposing pages meet. Tightening the gutter will cause the text to roll into the gutter more than previously, possibly making it a little tougher to read in that area.So adding the cords has its strength and weakness. I also mention that the Bible will be stronger, it still won't match the strength of a sewn spine.
I always tell people that the choice is theirs, but I am not a huge proponent of rebinding glued spines. Only you know your reasons for having it done. I simply say it can be done. I also point out that you would need to be careful if you decide to keep it as reference and buy a new Bible. Always try to determine if that Bible has a sewn spine. Publishers moved heavily into glued spine Bibles in the '90's and early 2000's. Backlash from customers, with the same issues you're having, made them re-evaluate in the early 2010's. They still use glued spines, but they are offering more with sewn spines today. You can find sewn spine Bibles in the upper $20 range, and up. However, if you aren't careful, you'll find a glued spine in the $40-$50 range. Christianbook.com has done a respectable jb specifying when a Bible is a sewn spine in their sale descriptions. Bottom line, do your homework if you go that direction.
I've given you some things to consider, and it can be difficult. Especially if it has sentimental value. I hope my explanation tells why I find it hard to justify the cost of rebinding glued spines. I always prefer to think long term, not short term. I also want to make sure you're ultimately satisfied.