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[PADG:345] RE: spine up versus spine down shelving



This is still a problem at UIUC, and, given the number of older books that are shelved this way, I believe that it still causes damage to the large collections of older sewn items that we possess, even if one may argue that adhesive binding makes this less of a concern. Moreover, there is little hope that "borderline" items (height-wise) that are shelved in this manner will feel relief since our crowding currently means that shifting to create taller shelves is still a long way off.

One unit at our institution has taken to copying the call number onto the text block's tail near the spine. This way, they can shelve the item on the spine and still make the call number visible. The unit is using a very fine point Sharpie (since it passed the PAT). This isn't an ideal solution, but it is better than nothing.

Tom

At 08:23 AM 2/10/2005, Frost, Gary wrote:
Trade-off? Occasional shrink wrapping of spine-up oversize books will keep them well shaped, and upright on their board foredges and improve alignment across the shelf. There is also the possibility that spine-up is not longer as damaging since adhesive binding limits book thickness and flat back eliminates the reversing of convex backing and rounding.
 

Gary Frost
Conservator
University of Iowa Libraries
100 Main Library
Iowa City, IA, 52242


The Changing Book Exposition
www.lib.uiowa.edu/book2005
/

From: owner-padg@xxxxxxx [ mailto:owner-padg@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Cathleen Mook
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2005 4:51 PM
To: PADG (E-mail)
Subject: [PADG:343] spine up versus spine down shelving
 
All,
 
For decades, UF has shelved volumes that are too tall to stand up on their individual shelves spine up. (If the volume is really tall, we do have an oversize area, I am talking about medium tall things...)  I am trying to get this practice changed but the thinking that it is too hard and it takes too much time for the shelvers to do their job when the call number label is pointing down and not up is very ingrained here.  May I ask if anyone on the list has had success changing their local spine up shelving policy to a spine down shelving policy and if so, would they be willing to give me some specific advice?  I know it is going to be a matter of 'educate, educate, educate' but I seem to be hitting some road blocks...
 
Thanks,

Cathy
 
Cathleen L. Mook
Head, Preservation
University of Florida
Box 117007
Gainesville, FL 32611
(voice) 352-392-6962
(fax) 352-392-6597
(email) cmook@xxxxxxx
 

Head of Preservation
University Library
246F Main Library
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL      61801

Telephone:       217-244-8755
Fax:              217-244-4358    


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