• Back
to Book Preservation Virtual Exhibit
 |
Handling and shelving books improperly will cause
damage over time. Pulling a book from the shelf by the top of its
spine may tear it. Instead, staff and volunteers push surrounding
books back, and then grasp the middle of the spine. Very large, heavy
books lay flat on shelving, preventing gravity from causing the text
block to sag. |
 |
 |
Highly acidic paper causes the pages of books to
darken, break away from their bindings and chip around the edges.
Handling or attempting to repair or rebind these brittle books will
only cause further damage. The collection contains many such books. |
 |
 |
The Research Center stores delicate books in fitted,
acid-free clamshell boxes or archival boxes and folders. Fragile items
important to researchers must be replaced, photocopied, or digitized.
Proper storage can slow deterioration as can deacidification; however,
it cannot reverse existing damage. |
 |
 |
Inserted items place additional pressure on bindings,
metal paperclips leave rust stains, and newspaper clippings and bookmarks
may cause discoloration from acid migration. Therefore, these items
must be removed. Then, the books receive spine labels and label protectors;
rare books require non-adhesive, acid-free identification tabs instead. |
|
|
|
