Recommended Readings on Handling and Care
Issues for Rare Books and Special Materials

This reading list is intended to be used as a resource for information regarding handling and care issues in rare book and special collection libraries. The materials found here have informed the University of British Columbia’s Rare Books and Special Collections staff training procedures as well as the information distributed to patrons. The titles were selected and ranked according to the following criteria:

1. currency of the research;
2. relevance of the material;
3. informative nature of the material (any explanations given);
4. instructional nature of the material;
5. applicability – is it practical?

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List of Readings

(in rank and alphabetic order):

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American Institute for Conservation of Historical and Artistic Works. AIC Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice. August 1994. http://aic.stanford.edu/pubs/ethics.html (October 11, 2000).
Outlines the duties and responsibilities of those professionals under whose supervision the care of "cultural property" lay within the preamble. The second part is a rather lengthy "Guidelines for Practice," which is comprised of many sections, including, professional conduct; examination and scientific investigation; preventive conservation; treatment; documentation; emergency situations; amendments; and commentaries. It is in effect the structure upon which libraries can build their own individual policies.

*****
Drewes, Jeanne M., and Julie A. Page. Promoting Preservation Awareness in Libraries: A Sourcebook for Academic, Public, School, and SpecialCollections. The Greenwood Management Collection. USA: Greenwood Press, 1997.
This is an excellent resource for any library. Drewes and Page have compiled a comprehensive collection of articles, which give a thorough examination of preservation issues within a wide variety of libraries, and make well-researched recommendations for the education of both staff and patrons of the library about preservation issues. Many articles also provide recommendations on how to improve user awareness of the issues, and how to educate both staff and users to reduce damage to the collections. Includes an excellent annotated bibliography on topics of preservation education.

*****
Higginbotham, Barbara Buckner, editor. Advances in Preservation and Access.vol.2. Medford, NJ: Learner Information, Inc., 1995.
A collection of articles on topics in preservation, with a strong emphasis on user and staff education.

*****
Lowry, Marcia Duncan. Preservation and Conservation in the Small Library.Chicago and London: American Library Association, 1989.
Organizing for preservation is a central theme is Marcia Duncan Lowry's look at the theory and practice of preservation and conservation. Using overall principles and specific practices she outlines strategies for ensuring the safety and usability of library collections.

*****
National Parks Service. Conserve O Gram Series. March 1, 2000. http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/conserv.html (October 11, 2000).
An extensive collection of pamphlets on a broad variety of preservation issues. Section 19 (1-18) deal with Archival and MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS and Rare Books. These pamphlets are an excellent, condensed resources for quick reference.

*****
North East Document Conservation Center. Preservation 101. Online Course. March 17, 2000. http://www.nedcc.org/p101cs/p101wel.htm (October 11,2000).
Part of an extensive teaching strategy aimed at librarians and archivists, this article explains some of the basic signs of decay in books and reasons for that deterioration and important first steps in the conservation process. Education of library staff and users is important and the author highlights these needs in this simple but informative article.

*****
NPO and the British Library Collection Care and Handling Team. Good handling principles and practice for library and archival materials. NPO PreservationGuidance Preservation Management Series. London: National PreservationOffice, February 2000.
The National Preservation Office at the British Library has created an excellent, quick-reference pamphlet for libraries. This document outlines the handling procedures adopted by the British Library and a large number of research libraries in the UK. It also provides a list of rules for reading rooms, retrieval practices, shelving, book barrows, and storage area issues, as well as outlining the importance of preservation for the future.

*****
Ogden, Sherelyn, ed. Preservation of Library & Archival Materials: A Manual. 3rd ed. February, 1999. http://www.nedcc.org/plam3/manhome.htm (October 11, 2000).
Librarians face difficult challenges when dealing with rare and often fragile documents in relation to their collection policies. As books deteriorate while librarians work hard to stretch out restricted library budgets to include preservation, they must make decisions as to the best use of resources. This manual outlines all of the relevant areas of concern, and provides standards for maintenance and preservation. It is a compilation of collected writings on various aspects of preservation, care, treatment, environment, etc., and is perhaps the most current and comprehensive resource available at this time.

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Adcock, Edward P. Principles for the Care and Handling of Library Material. Washington, DC: IFLA, 1998.
This book treats the theory and practice of preservation. Beginning with a discussion of why preservation is important and who should be chiefly responsible for its application, the author describes many of the techniques used by archivists and librarians to preserve fragile material

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Library of Congress. Preservation Books: Care, Handling and Storage of Books. June 15, 1999. http://lcweb.loc.gov/preserv/care/books.html (October 11, 2000).
A good, basic overview of handling concerns. A concise and accurate guide, includes recommendations on how to properly handle materials.

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- Rare Books & Special Collections: Policies. March 13, 2000. http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/rarebook/policies.html (October 11, 2000).
List of Reading-Room rules at the Library of Congress.

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Library Preservation at Harvard. Procedures: 15 Ways to Save Harvard’s Collections: A Guide for People Who Work in Libraries. April 2000 http://preserve.harvard.edu/procedures/15ways.html (October 11, 2000).
The Library Preservation Office at Harvard have prepared 15 recommendations for staff and users with good, basic explanations, to help preserve the collection. These recommendations can be easily adapted to any library or collection.

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Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn. Preserving Archives and Manuscripts. Chicago: The Society of American Archivists, 1993.
Chapter 6, "Handling Archival Materials" outlines the dangers of handling and provides basic rules for handling a variety of archival materials as well as bound volumes.

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Allen, Susan M. "Rare Books and the College Library: Current Practices inMarrying Undergraduates to Special Collections." RBM v. 13 (1999) p.110-119.
This article outlines the importance of special collections in the research of undergraduate students, and reviews some methods by which undergraduate students can be encouraged to make use of these primary resources. It also considers the concern of preservation and handling of rare and delicate materials that is incurred by increased use and consultation. Allen has a proactive and positive attitude toward access for all users, and points out the intellectually enriching experience of such research.

***
Cox, Steven. "Do Librarians Treat Books as Second-Class Citizens?"American Libraries v. 31 (2000) p. 54-55.
An interesting look at how books are treated within libraries by librarians and other library staff. Cox has a rather pessimistic view of how books are handled within the context of a library system, suggesting that many librarians tend to take materials for granted, and that processing procedures, which are so important for control, are inherently damaging to bound volumes. Cox recommends that librarians alter their management practices and seek less invasive methods for marking and controlling their collections.

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Harvey, Ross. Preservation in Libraries: A Reader. Topics in Library and Information Studies. Great Britain: Published by Bowker-Saur, a division ofReed Reference Publishing, 1993. ch. 5.
In chapter 5, "An Attitude of Respect: Careful Handling and the Education of Users and Librarians," Harvey tells us that careful handling does not come naturally to library staff or patrons, therefore they must be taught. Any program which seeks to educate staff and patrons must, furthermore, enjoy the support, policies, commitment, and positive attitude from the library administration in order to be successful. He includes a guideline of good handling procedures which could form the basis of an instructional programme.

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National Library of Medicine. NLM Preservation Bookmark. June 1996. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/psd/pcm/bookmark.html (October 11, 2000).
A terrific example of how libraries can spread the preservation message to users in a palatable and attractive form.

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Smithsonian Institute. Handling Paper Artifacts: Preservation Do’s and Don’t’s. http://www.si.edu/scmre/paper_handling.html (October 14, 2000).
A list of rules for handling of paper materials divided into subsections by issue: access, handling, use, environment, books, processing, and housing.

Prepared by Sandra Dunkin
for Library 596 course, School of Library, Archival, and Information Studies
November 2000