Atlas

I have been stewing a bit over a query from early August which I
believe no one responded to on line.

Sue Dunlap <sdunlap [at] acs__wooster__edu> writes

>Our public library in town has a large atlas that needs conservation
>on a shoe-string budget.  Here is her description:
>
>... More than
>    half of the pages have fallen out.  Many pages are ragged around
>    the edges while other pages appear to have been taped. The book
>    is in poor condition. ...
>
>...  I guess it is heavily used in the
>genealogy department....

I understand that the query is an attempt to help, but the
implication is either that a cheaper treatment could be just as good
as a full-price one or that a conservator should be willing to work
for charity prices if the project is worthwhile.  Both of these
ideas are a bit grating to conservators' ears.  I think it would be
more helpful to encourage the library to get a good conservator to
work on the project and to raise money from the people in the town
to get the work done right.  When any object is routinely used,
treatment is that much more difficult, and can leave the object more
rather than less susceptible from handling than before if not done
right.

B. Appelbaum



                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 14:19
               Distributed: Thursday, September 21, 2000
                       Message Id: cdl-14-19-004
                                  ***