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BOOK CARE AND HANDLING
Most of you will
handle books or periodicals as part of your job at
Murphy Library. Part
of all of our jobs is book preservation.
This not only applies to your work in the
library, but also to textbooks and books in your home
library.
Books deteriorate just sitting on
the shelf. The
paper on which they are printed is acidic which destroys
the cellulose fiber from which paper is made.
However, most damage to books occurs when we
handle them. We
can slow the process of deterioration by doing the
following:
DO’s
- Wash
your hands before handling books.
- Handle
books gently.
- Use
a clean work surface.
- Protect
books from water.
- Avoid
forcing books to lie open more than they can easily
do.
- Support
the book cover when photocopying books.
- Use
caution when inserting or applying security strips,
being careful so as not force them into the spine.
- Remove
books from a shelf by grasping it firmly by the
spine.
- Shelf
books upright and supported by other books or a
bookend. Leaning
books can cause the book to become distorted.
- Whenever
possible, return books inside the library rather
than using the book drop.
- Turn
off stack lights when no one is using the aisle. Light speeds the aging process of paper causing
brittleness and discoloration.
DON’TS
- Don’t
eat or drink while handling or reading a book. Food and drink can stain and destroy books and also
attracts pests.
- Don’t
use books as a writing surface.
- Don’t
bend or dog ear pages.
- Avoid
using a highlighter in books.
- Never
use paper clips that crimp the pages, cause tears,
and leave rust marks and holes.
- Don’t
use “post it” adhesive notes that can leave a
residue.
- Never
use rubber bands that bend and rip pages as well as
leave an acidic residue that causes the paper to
deteriorate.
- Never
use staples that rust and make holes in the pages.
- Don’t
put an open book down on its face while open. It can break the spine.
- Never
press an open book down hard on photocopier glass
for a good image as this breaks the spine and
loosens the pages.
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