pulling

Use for the process of removing gathered matter from a binding in preparation for rebinding usually involving removal of covers, spine lining, and old glue, cutting the sewing threads, and separating all sections from each other. Where a discrete bibliographic item has been removed from a binding with the intention that it should stand alone thereafter, use "disbinding." To describe gathered matter that has never been bound, but rather left in sheets, signatures, or gatherings, use "unbound."