Examine the binding to determine whether the pages are coming loose. As glue ages and the spine of a textbook ensures repeated bending, pages can begin to separate in chunks or individual sheets and will need to be secured with PVA.
Pour the PVA into a long, narrow dispenser. You will need to coat a knitting needle the length of the textbook's spine in PVA by dipping it in this dispenser. You may be able to use household items such as a champagne flute.
Stand the book upright and bend the loose binding back so that as much space as possible exists between the separated binding and the pages of the book.
Dip the knitting needle in the PVA dispenser until it is coated to match the length of the textbook. Insert the knitting needle in the separated space of the binding and twirl the needle to rub off the adhesive. Repeat until the inside of the binding is covered with a thin layer of PVA.
Place the textbook flat on the ground and surround it with bricks or other heavy objects. Press the bricks tightly against the spine. The pressure will help the adhesive bond the binding to the pages as it dries.