Labelling

The following is posted on behalf of Christina Meli
<cantilena.mjcl<-at->gov<.>mt>

The Notarial Archives of Malta, houses 2km of manuscripts ranging
from the 15th century to the present day.  Several of the
manuscripts have very thick textblocks (approximately 20cm) and many
still have their first parchment limp covers.

In 2016 the Notarial Archives will be refurbishing the archive
building and is redesigning its shelving and housing system.  Owing
to the sheer thickness and weight of many of the manuscripts and the
damage that has been caused with them being stored vertically for
several decades, a decision has been made to store all our
collection horizontally.  The collection will not be boxed, with the
exception of a few manuscripts that are very rare and important.
About 70% will be stored in compact shelving and the remaining will
be shelved in the main reading room of the archive with the
intention to showcase a variety of different archival binding styles
to our visitors.

For this purpose, we would require a new labelling system which is
easily visible and practical for our staff and researchers to
handle, yet also visually attractive and in-keeping with a
historical archive collection.  Above all it must be reversible.  We
were wondering whether anyone has ever housed a horizontal archive
of these dimensions and what labelling system was adopted for it.

Any ideas, information or relevant literature on the horizontal
storage of books and manuscripts would be much appreciated.

Dr Theresa Zammit Lupi PhD ACR
Preservation Consultant
The Notarial Archives
24 St Christopher Street
Valletta VLT 1222
Malta

Book and Paper Conservator
Rabat, Malta
+356 2145 5368
Mobile: +356 7925 6302(Malta)
Mobile: +44 790 553 2013(UK)


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 29:31
                Distributed: Thursday, December 24, 2015
                       Message Id: cdl-29-31-010
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