[padg] Fragile Books: To Lend or not to Lend? [conclusion]

["R.M.G." <rossaroni_g@xxxxxxxxx>]

Dear fellow list-ers,

To follow up my original query, the fragile books returned today through ILL in excellent condition and with the patron having followed all of my enclosed instructions and retied/repacked the items very neatly in their original box. As a reward for their successful journey, they will all be treated to archival clamshell boxes. 

I'm still working out my recommendations for how the library should handle circulating fragile items in the future, but we have had some good discussions going. Thanks to all who offered advice.

Ross



--- On Wed, 4/8/09, R.M.G. <rossaroni_g@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> From: R.M.G. <rossaroni_g@xxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Fragile Books: To Lend or not to Lend?
> To: padg@xxxxxxx
> Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2009, 4:37 PM
> I was recently notified of a request
> for an ILL of several mid-19th century volumes. The items
> are all in fair condition with the binding intact but
> fragile and they showed some spine damage and moderately
> brittle pages.
> 
> I briefly researched their monetary value (low) and looked
> for additional copies on Worldcat (many) and their
> circulation record at my institution (nil).  So, since
> these items were marked as “circulating”, I made the
> decision to allow them to be borrowed.  I tied each
> item with cotton string, packed them securely in a box
> marked “fragile” and included a memo to the borrower
> noting their condition and requiring that they be handled
> carefully and repacked exactly they arrived. 
> 
> I now feel the need, however, to clarify our lending policy
> regarding fragile materials like these. On one hand, we have
> a number of fragile, circulating items in the stacks--some
> are tied, some are boxed—-and I’m not prepared to
> deny  ILL patrons those materials that on-site
> borrowers can  check out.  On the other hand,
> fragile materials degrade noticeably with each use, so the
> last thing they need is the additional transportation and
> handling of ILL. 
> 
> I’d like some feedback: Does it make sense t
ugh ILL or to
> restrict *all* fragile items from circulating at all? I
> really dislike restricting circulation unless items are rare
> or valuable, but I want to balance access with
> preservation.  
> 
> Any thoughts? 
> 
> Ross
> 
> 
> 
> 
>