6.3 SHELVING: BOOK HANDLING
As organic matter, books are subject to decay just sitting on the shelf undisturbed; moving and using a book only increases the rate of breakdown. One of the circulation department’s greatest responsibilities is making sure that the collection is handled and transported carefully to ensure its longevity.
• Never use rubber bands, tape, glue or Post-it notes on books.
• Use a cart when transporting oversize books or more books than you can easily carry.
• When removing a book from the shelf, do not pull it from the top of the spine. Instead, push in the books on either side of it to get a grip.
• If a book must be turned on its side to fit on a shelf or cart, make sure to shelve it spine side down in order to protect the binding.
• Books should not lean diagonally on shelves. Push in the bookend so that the books are upright.
• Books should not be compressed tightly on a shelf. If the shelf is full let the circulation manager know so that shifting can be done.
• Turn off the lights when you are finished working in a stack area with individual light switches
As you page, reshelve, and assist patrons with books from the libraries’ collections, you will undoubtedly come upon items needing repair. Some points to keep in mind, via the Conservation department themselves:
•When you find books in need of repair, check them out to the “Library Conservation Pick-up Shelf” patron record and place them on said shelf across from the Circulation Manager’s desk. We will retrieve these items on a regular basis. If there are oversized items that do not fit on this shelf, or books for us in the Special Collections cabinet, please let the Conservation Staff know where they are located via email. You do not need to bring these books to the lab unless there is a specific question or problem*.
• Please indicate on the orange flag whether there is patron waiting to use the book that needs repair. We will do our best to complete work on these books as quickly as possible, and make them available to our patrons. If a patron requests a book that is currently in the lab, please give us a call. Depending on the book’s condition and treatment status, it may be possible for the patron to use the book, and have it returned to Conservation.
•Please do not grab every damaged book you see in the stacks—our department is very small, both in staff and shelf space, and would quickly become inundated. Keep in mind that we also get books from Cataloguing, the Museum and the Architectural Archives, exhibitions, and of course the Director of Libraries. The focus should be on sending us damaged books encountered while paging and through patron use.
•Unfortunately there are many books with brittle paper in our collections. If you come upon books with extremely brittle paper, you should put those on the Conservation shelf. We will consult with the Director of Libraries, and the book will either be replaced with a reprint, sent out for a preservation photocopy, withdrawn, or simply placed into a phase box.
*Any wet books, moldy books, evidence of water or any other environmental problems encountered anywhere in the library should be immediately brought to our attention. If we cannot be reached, contact the library office or any supervisor. As we know from experience, these findings are most likely indicative of a much larger problem, and need to be addressed immediately.
Handling Special Collections
Our Special Collection ranges from incunabula (books printed in the first century following the development of the printing press) to contemporary artists’ books. We have all sizes, from miniature books to elephant folios, and materials vary widely in condition. When instructing a patron on handling Special Collection materials, our primary concern is making sure that the book is presenting in a stable way that will allow the researcher access to the information that she needs without subjecting the material to stress. Things to consider include:
Security
The Specials table should be used whenever possible. However, museum staff may look at Specials at the table closest to the Circulation Desk in the mornings before public hours. Do no deliver specials if the patron or staff is not seated and ready to consult them. Any specials being used in the Reading Room should be under constant supervision, either by a librarian (during public hours) or a circulation staff member (before public hours).
Size
The size of the item will affect where and how it is viewed. Be mindful of crowding on the Specials table when there is more than one researcher working there. The large table next to the Reference Desk is useful for setting up large folios and archival flat files. You may have to insist that the researcher stands while consulting books of a certain size.
Paper
Some special Collection materials are composed of acidic paper. This paper was most widely used from about 1850 to 1950, a time period of strength in our collections - you will come across this type of paper frequently. If the paper of the item you are handling is browning or very thing or shows signs of flaking, please handle with extreme care. Be sure to model proper handling for the researcher as well, by demonstrating the way to most an individual page or group of pages from the top right or left hand corner of the text block.
Bindings
Bindings hold the text block together but over time the glue, leather, paper, cloth, and string may become fragile and wear out. The two weakest points of bindings are the hinges where the boards are attached to the spine and the spine itself. Both are subject to cracking and breaking. To most effective way to preserve a fragile binding is by only opening a book as little as possible and to support the spine and boards so that they will not be required to flex. Of course, a book should be closed when not in use and many books in the special collection will be stored in boxes or enclosure to further protect them when not being consulted.