Special Collections, Archives, and Preservation (SCAP): POLICIES

Book Repair and Conservation

Selecting Items/Collection for Digitization

Three-ring Binders

"A library will never be much benefited if that which is collected with so much pains and industry should be lost for want of care." - Gabriel Naudé (1667)

Three-ring binders

1. As part of the comprehensive preservation plan, 3-ring binders were identified as a particular issue. They represent about 15% of the physical collection based on the collection survey.

2. Issues

• Because they are oversized the binders do not fit properly on the shelves. The shelves are not deep enough and the binders often fall off the shelves
• Standard shelf height does not accommodate the binders so they are literally jammed into shelves.
• Plastic covers tend to crack and separate.
• Adhesives on labels or tapes tend to become sticky and ooze.
• Many of the binders are covered in PVC plastic which contributes to deterioration of the contents. Plastics should be polyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene.
• The advantage of binders is the ability to easily update but when the title is no longer updated this advantage is outweighed by the liabilities.

3. Conclusion of the Steering Group: if the content is worth keeping then we should bind commercially. Means better long-term preservation and we already have a binding process in place. Meeting of May 6, 2014

• Preservation criteria
  1. All Georgia materials will receive preservation treatment.
  2. All other materials will receive preservation treatment unless:
• Too ephemeral - e.g. announcements re: essay competitions
• No date of publication or statement of responsibility
• Content unrelated to law - e.g., science journals
• Number of libraries holding the material, as indicated in OCLC, exceeds 25 institutions
• Content is fully contained in another resource (like advance sheets that are collected into a bound volume)
• Content is photocopied or excerpted version of a published resource         

Book Repair and Conservation

In some instances the library will choose to have items repaired rather than rebound.

• Items housed in the Rare Book Room
• Leather bound items
• Historic Georgia materials

In these instances the library prefers to work with local individuals if available. This provides the opportunity to meet with the conservator when picking-up/dropping off items to discuss treatment options and priorities. We also avoid the additional handling involved with packing and shipping and shipping costs.

Work performed by the local conservators has averaged between $110-120 per item.  This is very reasonable in view of the charges by book repair services, even including the cost of supplies.

• Amanda Buck leather binding $175-$300, repairs $10-$50
• ACA Paper Restoration $200-$500
• Stanley Book Repair and Restoration $185 >

The library provides equipment and supplies primarily to ensure consistency of the treatment provided. The library also receives institutional discounts not available to individuals.

• Tools
• microspatula, bone folders, books press and plates, weights
• brushes
• Supplies - materials consumed in the repair/conservation process
• Endsheets, tissue paper
• Adhesives - PVA
• Consolidant (Cellugel)

Selecting Items/Collections for Digitization

1. Importance

Unique, rare, or aesthetic quality; association with imortant individuals or events

Scholarly importance; relate to CD policy; compliment other resources

2. Demand

Target audience; inadequate access to original materials, will digitization attract users

Available information to aid in review:

• times item has circulated
• additional copies and other editions in-house
• regional holdings, or consortial holdings
• holdings in OCLC

3. Increase in Value

Our gain, facilitate exposure, preservation, searchability

4. Copyright

• Copyright Terms and the Public Domain in the Untied States (Cornell University)
• Circular 15A Duration of Copyright (U.S. Copyright Office)
• Code of Best Practices in Fair Use (Association of Research Libraries)

5. Resources

• Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials (Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative)
• Decision Tree for Digitization Projects (Canadian Council of Archives)