Mobile shelving

Sharon Connell <libsac<-a t->library< . >novell< . >leeds< . >ac< . >uk>

>It has been brought to our attention that the mobile shelving used
>for our Special Collections is potentially damaging to the books. It
>seems that objects frequently fall off the units when they're being
>moved and the existing bookends are not really satisfactory..

There was a similar problem with mobile shelving here and with the
added hazard of Wellington experiencing  fairly regular seismic
activity, which also caused books/ boxes to slide towards the edges
of shelving.

I came up with a solution that involved lining the shelves with
'Plastazoate' inert foam sheeting. The type chosen was LD24/3mm. It
was cut to shelf  size and positioned without adhesives, everything
is held in place by friction.

The books are now less likely to move and there is an added
advantage that the books' tail edges are given some extra protection
against abrasion.

David Ashman
National Library of New Zealand
PO Box 1467
Wellington
New Zealand
+64 04 474 3000 x8864
Fax: +64 04 474 3035

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:72
                Distributed: Thursday, February 13, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-10-72-010
                                  ***