Subject: Circulation of brittle books
My thanks to everyone who responded to my query about circulating brittle books. I was interested in real-life procedures/practices for volumes (shrink-wrapped, boxed, unprotected, etc.) that are not intact and remain in general, circulating collections. This summarizes the more useful information sent directly to me, as requested: Normandy Helmer, University of Oregon Library, places a book plate with a friendly, cautionary care message on portfolios and phased boxes. He also utilizes an online database in verifying the contents of enclosures returned after circulation; Gary Frost, Booklab, uses a technique allowing the gentle photocopying of the most fragile of brittle pages as an alternative to allowing them to circulate; David Roepke, Ashland University Archives, verifies that a back- up copy an at risk book can be obtained through ILL before allowing it to circulate; Peggy Bordley, The University of the South Sewanee, described a colored wrapper, placed on the front of the book, whether it is boxed or not, containing a message asking that it not be photo- copied or returned to the book drop after circulation; that any additional damage incurred during use be pointed out to someone at circulation upon return. Regina Sinclair Head, Preservation Department Johns Hopkins University *** Conservation DistList Instance 8:11 Distributed: Monday, August 1, 1994 Message Id: cdl-8-11-005 ***Received on Friday, 29 July, 1994