[PADG:2266] Re: Glue sticks & book pockets

[Andrew Hart <ashart@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

          Tyra,
We have a long tradition of putting a bookplate in every volume added to
general collections. Book pockets only go in volumes headed for a few departmental
libraries, but they add up to a significant number of books.  For both pockets
and plates, which are applied in the Preservation Department by the same
people who handle commercial binding and call number labels, we had been
using glue sticks whenever we had trouble with our glue machines (made by
Potdevin and using their mysterious "ready to use label glue"). We never
really liked the machines and had increasing suspicion that the glue was
formula was changing without notice. We found glue sticks were too cumbersome
as a long-term solution.  So, we're having our bookplates printed on adhesive-backed
stock from the campus printing service. For book pockets, we're using Gaylord's
"Reinforced Style R Book Pocket,Pressure Sensitive" (Product # PSR for blank,
PSRP for printed). To be honest, we have not done research or testing on
either the plates or pockets beyond determining that both the papers and
adhesives are not acidic. 

Our reasoning follows some of the themes in Erika's email. Plates and pockets
always cause some irreparable damage. For most books in our general collections,
we think the value of ownership marks, donor acknowledgements, and a place
to put circulation-related info is enough to make some damage acceptable
in general collections.  All the same, we do train staff and student assistants
to exercise some judgement before adhering anything into a book. In particular,
we ask them not to cover anything on an endsheet or pastedown that might
be meaningful to a reader (e.g., maps, charts, inscriptions or signatures
from previous owners, etc.) We also ask them to watch for anything that might
be severely damaged, such as a brittle endsheet. 

Andy
-- 
==================================================
 Andrew Hart, Preservation Librarian
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
 CB#3910, Davis Library
 Chapel Hill, NC 27514
 tel: (919) 962-8047
 fax: (919) 962-4450
 email: ashart@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
==================================================


 S. Tyra Grant wrote:
 
> I'm shopping for glue sticks.   Our labeling staff use them to adhere book
> pockets.  We currently use Avery Disappearing Color Glue Stic (supposed to
> be "acid-free and photo-safe").  We use the 1.27 oz. stick but I'm actually
> considering recommending trying a smaller (diameter) stick.
>   
>   My questions:
>   1)  Can anyone recommend a great glue stick bargain.---either a specific 
> product or vendor source?
>   
>   2)  How do other libraries handle pockets these days?  Do most libraries 
> still use pockets?  Has anyone come up w/a good alternative or an approach 
> that's worth sharing?
>   
>   3)  Are there objections to using glue sticks for pockets?  What would
> these be---even including what may seem to be obvious objections.
>   
>   Thanks,
>   Tyra Grant
>   Head, Preservation Department
>   Northwestern University Library