Hot melt adhesives for cellulosic material

A hot melt adhesive composition having a softening point (Ball and Ring) of from about 60.degree. to about 110.degree. C. for application in molten state to form strong, flexible adhesive bonds to cellulosic material and also capable of being dissolved or dispersed in cold water when disposed as an adhesive layer between cellulosic sheets, said adhesive comprising a polymeric binder material which is insoluble in cold water and which has free carboxylic groups, said binder being selected from the group consisting of a copolymer of vinyl acetate with from about 2% to about 10% of crotonic acid and a colophonium ester of pentaerythritol having an acid number of from about 196 to about 212, characterized in that the composition contains from about 2% to about 10% of an aliphatic amino alcohol reactive in the presence of water with the carboxylic groups of the polymeric material to promote solubility of the polymeric material in cold water.