Conservation workflows for medium rare library materials

Jennifer Hain Teper <jhain<-at->illinois<.>edu> writes

>I would be interested in hearing from colleagues in library
>conservation labs who have a workflow or documentation protocol for
>"medium rare" collection materials, i.e. materials that are more
>special than your average general collections/circulating book, but
>not necessarily warranting full-fledged special collections
>conservation treatment.

The Missouri Botanical Garden Library has two sets of materials Rare
Books in a restricted access room and general collections, which
don't circulate but are available to anyone who has been given
access to our research facilities.

When I came here as a book conservator about a year ago we had to
create policies to set priorities and guide treatment decisions.
All of our collections are important and need care, but we don't
have the resources to give them all the most elaborate,
time-consuming treatments.  I was not happy with the practice (not
uncommon in large collections with circulating materials) of simply
allowing the "rare book" designation or a date of publication to
determine treatment priorities.  All of our materials are important
to botanical research, so that kind of approach just didn't make
sense.  We decided to identify items in our general collection that
were de facto rare.  Our catalogers generated a list of books that
had required original cataloging, we checked the list against
Worldcat to identify those titles showing 10 or fewer copies
worldwide, and then we surveyed the condition of those books.  In a
few cases we removed books from the list that were not directly
related to our institution's research goals.

In terms of treatment, we have a two-tier approach.  There is little
middle ground.  Books in the Rare Book room and books from the
general collection that have been identified as de facto rare are
given thorough treatments: Photo documentation, written reports,
reincorporation of original materials when possible, etc.  Other
materials from the general collection that need work are boxed or
given quick stabilizing treatments and no photo/written
documentation.  A note in the item's record identifies it as needing
treatment at some (far) future date, just in case I manage to finish
treating everything else before I retire (not likely).

I will be happy to send a copy of the workflow document that
describes this in more detail if you want to get in touch with me
directly.

Susie Cobbledick
Book Conservator
Missouri Botanical Garden Library
314-577-0845


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 29:32
                 Distributed: Sunday, January 10, 2016
                       Message Id: cdl-29-32-002
                                  ***