I just read this "tip" in a book published by Real Simple (it was free with my subscription). Put a dryer sheet between the pages of a book to prevent mustiness? Um, what?!?!?! There is no way I would do this before putting a book into long term storage. Who knows what chemicals they used to create the scent of how they will off gas and effect the paper over time. Also, I have no desire for my books to smell like laundry!
The MSU Libraries' Special Collections will be hosting an open house on Tuesday, September 20 from 5-7 that will showcase highlights from their collection of rare books. The event is free and open to all! Find more info: http://bookings.lib.msu.edu/event/2739946
Bookbinder LOL. The guy who numbered this set must have lost his #1 and his I, so he used a J.
Books, books, and more BOOKS! The Welsh town of Hay-on-Wye is a book lover's paradise, and the perfect honeymoon spot for two librarians in love.
Last week I visited the chained library at the Hereford Cathedral in Hereford, England ( http://www.themappamundi.co.uk ) Photos weren’t permitted inside the library, but I was able to take some shots in the exhibition hall.
Shown here is a chained binding from the library, and a shelf of facsimile chained bindings. These were easier to view, and some could be removed from the shelf in order to give you an idea of what it was like to use the library in this manner.
The chained library in Hereford is the largest complete chained library still in existence. It is also home to the Mappa Mundi. In short, it was a real treat for two book nerds on vacation.
I love this red and black stippled edge decoration. If you look at it from across the room and squint, it looks like some weird marbled paper.
A few weeks ago I asked for advice on how to make a box for our chained binding (see post here). The chain extends out from the lower board on the foredge, and the first link is fixed in place. In addition, the book has some beautiful brass clasps that would be happiest in a padded box.
I drew inspiration from a box made by Whitney Baker at the University of Kansas.
Here is the box I cam up with. It is a cloth clamshell with Volara foam padding. I cut a channel in the Volara in the bottom of the box, giving the chain a place to lay. I also added padding along the foredge of the box to keep the book from shifting. The padding on the foredge has cut outs to allow space for the clasps (which are wider at the bottom).
And now you know.
I find the green velour chair at the end of this basement aisle a bit creepy. Otherwise, Curious Bookshop in East Lansing, MI is a warm and welcoming place full of great books!
And the bookworm like "nom nom nom nom"
Check out this super cool hand-stitched repair I found in an early 17th century binding. I’ve seen this type of repair done in vellum manuscripts, but never on paper. Although it isn’t the most perfect repair, it has a certain Frankenstein’s monster look to it that I can’t help but love.
Want to see this book in Special Collections? Find it here.
- Bexx
I love seeing evidence of past ownership.
Check out Special Collections Librarian Patrick Olson showing off a chained binding in this video courtesy of the State News. You can see more pictures and read the full article at http://statenews.com/article/2015/02/special-collections
That chained binding is in the lab right now, awaiting a box.
The red silk used to sew these end bands has completely worn away where the thread was exposed to light and air, leaving the twisted paper core made of printed waste visible.
So cool.
Freshly washed pages drying on a screen before being put in between blotters to dry.
Over time, books can collect lots of dirt. Surface cleaning is an important first step in almost any conservation treatment since dirt can react with wet treatments (such as humidification, washing, our even paste and tissue paper repairs) to create unsavory timelines.
In the lab, we use a vulcanized natural rubber sponge eraser to remove dirt and dust. These erasers won’t scratch or a abrade delicate materials like paper, and don’t leave a residue behind. As the eraser gets dirty, simply cut away the soiled portion to reveal a clean surface.
As you can see in the example above, these erasers can remove a lot of dirt!
Right now I am cleaning a very dirty book...lots of dirt and debris has collected in the inner margins. But hey, if you were 363 years old and never had a bath, you'd be dirty too!
A previous owner quite literally left his mark in this book. On the inside of the front cover, An ink stamp was used in place of a traditional bookplate. On the inside of the back cover, I found an inky fingerprint. I often find dirty fingerprints, but the owner of them is never so obvious. It makes me wish that there was a fingerprint database for old books.
