ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

Special Collections Desk Duty: Preventing Damage

Anthony J. Amodeo Carbondale, Illinois

The desk attendant in a special collections, rare book, or archives reading room is in a unique position regarding the conservation of the collections. Both surveillance for the prevention of theft and monitoring the physical treatment of materials are obviously important responsibilities. An additional contribution which deserves attention is the desk attendant’s attitude toward the collections and their handling, which is picked up by both patrons and staff. The following suggestions have been drawn up as a sample of the kinds of concerns that should be addressed in the training of special collections desk attendants.

Desk Duty, cont’d

Every reading room has its own rules and procedures, but the nature of the materials stored and used in special reading rooms dictates a universal approach.

Materials

A printed list of rules and suggestions should be available for distribution to readers. These rules can be read while materials are being paged. The list might be written so as to encourage the patron to point out damage, uncut pages, and possible conservation needs to the desk attendant, thus giving the reader a conscious stake in the well-being of the collections. The printed rules can also serve as a useful, authoritative “backup” to which the desk attendant can point when a patron exhibits indifference to suggestions regarding safe handling of materials.

Some notification regarding the checking of coats, briefcases, large handbags, newspapers, etc. ‚ prior to entry into the special collections room should be clearly posted at or near the entry door; those who enter carrying such items should be politely but promptly dispatched to the checking area.

See that pencils rather than any sort of ink pens are used by readers and staff (including yourself) in the reading room. Ink that transfers to fingers will transfer to paper; modern inks are complex and very difficult to remove.

Keep an adequate supply of decent pencils on hand for patron use. Display them prominently and inform patrons of the no-ink policy verbally as a matter of course when they register.

Do your best to prevent accidents before they happen. Be conscious of situations which may lead to damage or mishandling and watch for them. Prevent pile-ups of materials. Piles of more than three or four books can lead to spills and may subject the bottom books to pressure and abrasion. Be sure to place all fragile items on the reading table separately, not in (or especially at the bottom of) piles of books.

In general it is preferable to limit the amount of material or number of volumes a reader may use at once for safe handling and security. When those special cases arise which require simultaneous use of much material or many volumes, use bookends, bookcarts, and so forth to accommodate materials safely.

Prevent materials from hanging over the edges of tables, where they will be knocked about by passersby or leaned on by the patron. In this regard, very large books and flat, oversized paper (e.g., maps and blueprints) are very susceptible to damage. Reserve an oversized table or two for such items if possible.

Do not allow patrons to write on paper laid over library materials, whether open or closed. A variety of problems, from paper damage to the damaging of binding structures, may result. A piece of thick book board should be made available for patrons having no table space upon which to write.

Tracing library materials should not, in general, be allowed. If an exception is made, tracing (in pencil only, of course) should be done in such a way that no damage, including impressions from the tracing tool, be done to the original. A piece of stiff mylar intervening between the original and tracing layers may help prevent damage; but if the paper is brittle, this precaution itself may cause damage.

Have a supply of acid-free paper strips available for patrons to use as bookmarks. This can help prevent such harmful practices as “dog-earing,” the use of pencils or other objects as bookmarks, or the laying of open books face down. Be sure that the strips you supply are taller than the books used. When dealing with materials that might scratch, chip, or flake (e.g., illuminated manuscripts), use acid-free tissue paper cut in fairly wide strips if bookmarks are necessary.

If you notice that an item about to be given out is so fragile that any use might cause damage, have the curator, conservator, or other senior staff person examine the item before it is delivered to the patron. Also, seek approval before opening any uncut pages in books or pamphlets, in case the uncut state is bibliographically significant. Often a second, service copy is available that will satisfy the patron.

Have a sufficient number of cradles, stands, or other supportive structures available for reader use and see that they are used when necessary. Bringing a stand and booksnake to a patron who is holding a book in the air by one cover while taking notes is both damage-preventive and tactful, especially in the case of patrons with bad sight. Or better yet, anticipate the need and supply a cradle before the item is given out.

A rolled-up piece of felt or piece of plastic foam wrapped in a stable covering (felt or mylar) provides good support for heavy book covers, especially when they would otherwise flex beyond a 180-degree opening.

Some books (e.g., “perfect-bound” paperbacks) may be better off held in the hands rather than flattened on a table. However, be sure that both sides of the open book are supported at all times.

If a book has special bosses or other potentially harmful features, be sure to keep it separate from other materials. A piece of felt or binders’ board placed under such a book would be appropriate.

Attitude

When bringing out materials to a reader, the desk attendant or page sets the example in the handling of the materials. Therefore, place materials carefully on the reading table or bookstand as if they were bowls of hot soup. Do not slide, toss,throw down, fling or otherwise roughly handle library materials, many of which have value as artifacts.

Proper support is important to prevent unnecessary stress to bindings. Shown here, left to right, are a cradle, bookstand, and supporting roll of felt.

If a book or pamphlet comes in a drop-spine (solander) box or a folder, take the entire package to the patron’s table, and open and remove the item carefully in front of the patron. This helps to garner respect for the materials, which are probably in a container for reasons of fragility or value. When the item has been delivered to the patron, be sure to take the box, folder, or other container back to the staff desk or holding area. Items housed in slipcases or other non-conservation containers (especially those which make removal difficult) are best taken out where none can see the shameful deed.

If you know that an item is fragile, tightly bound, or brittle, be sure to tell the patron so. In many cases it is appropriate to give suggestions as to its handling, such as: “This book is tightly bound. Could you please refrain from opening it more than about ninety degrees?” Or, “This paper is somewhat brittle. Could you be sure to turn the pages slowly and carefully without bending the corners?”

A patron using boxes of manuscripts, multiple folders or other unbound materials should be shown an appropriate method for maintaining the strict order in which these materials are found. Separation of individual sheets for photocopy orders and the like should be discouraged in advance, and the patron supplied with acid-free slips for indication of such copying needs.

Above all, if a patron is mishandling an item don’t be shy about correcting the situation. Use tact, but be persistent. Remember, you are the guardian of the collections in the reading room. No amount of money or environmental control will prevent damage to the collections unless you do your part at the time of use. Be polite and courteous, be fair and reasonable by all means. But when it comes to the physical well-being of the collections, be firm and resolute—if the collections are to last for coming generations, then you must do your job. A hundred years from now it will matter.

Training

Desk attendants are often students or interns, perhaps not used to correcting their elders (or professors) . Therefore, the initial training in conservation awareness is very important. Ideally this training should be performed by a senior staff member, curator or conservator/conservation librarian. In any case, awareness is best raised by setting a good and consistent example.

If the librarian or paraprofessional doing the training handles a variety of problematic situations over the course of a week or more with the trainee in tow, and if the trainee is taught to respect the materials being used by the example of careful handling of materials and attention to detail set by the instructor and other reading room staff, then the level and tone of awareness will in all probability become part of the trainee’s day-to-day work.

Once “converted” and given proper support (especially with problem patrons) most students or interns will respond with a high level of proficiency in damage prevention. On the other hand (need it be said?), abandoning the new attendant after a few hours’ training, and careless handling of library materials by staff, will guarantee future problems. ■ ■