All Is Not Digital

Information preservation is not limited to digital formats. The main focus today is to identify and preserve the electronic information that is created in enormous quantities minute to minute throughout the world. This focus also includes the preservation of printed materials through transference to digital format. However, there are other methods of preservation that should be enacted every time a print source is handled whether that be in a large corporation, small public library, or someone’s home. This posting focuses on those methods that involve handling, storage, and evaluation for possible conservation.

Handling

Some never think about it but whatever is on your hands is transferred to the pages of any book, journal, picture or other print source. In addition, the methods used to rack books, retrieve them from the racks, the use of book drops and methods of handling books when photocopying are all potential sources of damage. There are many articles that list the DON’Ts of handling books. Here are a few tips as stated by Palmer (Palmer, 2004):
▪ Never shelve a book on its fore edge. This also applies to how books are handled when preparing them for reshelving, such as on a book cart.
▪ For books taller than shelf space allows, shelve them spine down. A flag may be used to identify the call number.
▪ Large books should be shelved flat. If there is a significant difference in book sizes, the larger books should be placed at the bottom of the stack to prevent warping of the cover.
▪ Do not pull on the headcap, or top portion of the spine, of the book when removing it from the shelf. This may damage the spine.
▪ Avoid flattening a book when you are making a photocopy. Flattening the book may damage the spine. This method of handling is difficult to avoid since most libraries are not outfitted with copying machines designed specifically to copy books.

Part of the library cataloging and organizing process is to label the books, periodicals and other publications with their call numbers and other means of identification. There are some out there that see these actions as damaging particularly to rare, first editions. The author of one particular article stated he incited an uproar when he ventured to accuse librarians of book abuse. Many responded by saying that the purpose of the book was to be used and that readers did not care about the condition of the book as long as they could get the information they needed (Cox, 2000).

Environmental Conditions

Another source of material deterioration may be traced back to the environmental conditions the material is stored under. What level of UV light are they exposed to and for what lengths of time? What is the temperature and relative humidity of the storage area? Are there fluctuations in either or both? These conditions are often scrutinized when dealing with a rare collection however they often have a damaging effect on any book or periodical, rare or not. Fluctuations in humidity may result in the growth of mold spores or, in the case of too little humidity, may result in the paper drying out and crumbling. High exposure to UV light may also result in deterioration of the paper as well as discoloration of the paper and cover (Basset, 2007).

Evaluation

Many of the root causes for deterioration may be transported into the facility along with the resource, depending on where the materials came from. Therefore, it is important to quarantine the materials until their condition is assessed and, if necessary, the corrective action determined (Basset, 2007). These corrective actions may include a simple cleaning to remove mold spores or dust, repairing damaged covers or torn end sheets, or they could involve sending the material to a professional conservator. As preventive maintenance materials should be evaluated on a regular basis to ensure handling and storage conditions are not negatively affecting the materials. It is important to train staff in the proper handling methods however unless patron’s use of the materials is monitored it is impossible to prevent all damage. A regularly scheduled evaluation of materials will lengthen their usable life by repairing damage while it is cost effective to do so (Leverette, 2005).

Conclusion

The act of preservation should be, as Basset stated, day-to-day work. While the worldwide projects are necessary to ensure the longevity of digital media they should not be the only focus. Simple actions taken at the individual library level can significantly lengthen the useful life of print sources.



References

Basset, T. (July 2007). Preventive preservation, a day-to-day work. International Preservation News, 41, 9-12.

Cox, S. (March 2000). Do librarians treat books as second-class citizens? American Libraries, 31(3), 54-55.

Leverette, A., & McGough, S., & Starmer, M. (Fall 2005). Rare condition: Preservation assessment for rare book collections. RBM, 6(2), 91-106.

Palmer, S. (Spring, 2004). Preservation perspectives: Book handling. Kentucky Libraries, 68(2), 20-21.