Body secretions in books

I'm glad to see someone finally brought this up in print.  I'm
responsible for a circulating collection, and, being familiar with
photographic styles and subjects, can go to our stacks and pick out
books damaged in this way just from the photographer.  It is not rare
for these books to cross my desk.

Typically, the book contains female nudes and is printed on coated
paper. The result is that the pages are fused.  I end up having to try
to replace the pages, often not being able to find an intact copy
through interlibrary loan, or withdraw the book and order a new copy
that then ends up being placed in the protective custody of Special
Collections.

As for any health danger, the deposit is dry by the time I get it, so
the chance of catching any sexually transmitted disease seems to be nil.
I do wash my hands often, though.

The basic problem is the fusing of coated paper, and I've never read of
any method to successfully separate the pages.

For your interest, I've also run onto cat urine, vomit, and, within the
past month, human feces on book pages.  The latter in protest of parking
fines.

Jim

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 7:83
                  Distributed: Wednesday, May 18, 1994
                        Message Id: cdl-7-83-001
                                  ***