Re: [GBW] GBW Digest - 23 Jun 2003 to 24 Jun 2003 (#2003-85)

[Meg Brown <Meg_Brown@xxxxxxxx>]

> I have read the conversation about the "hack binding" with interest and
> apprehension, fearful I would eventually feel a need to make a comment.  I would
> like to spend just one brief moment defending the decision to cut a book of
> signatures, as I do it on a daily basis.

As a library conservator, I see over 100 damaged volumes a week that have been
used in my library by patrons, (which is, after all why they are here, and why we
are here in the library).  How much can I afford to save? Is having more books
available to my patrons more important than saving original binding structure? How
many of my patrons here really care about original binding structure-or ever will?
Why is our collection here-to be a museum of bookbinding or a place where students
and scholars come to get information not related to the bookbinding?  My
collections here at this institution tend to be young, but other institutions I
have worked at have older circulating collections, and as collections conservators
we all make decisions and compromises to make our books available to our patrons.

In my current situation, if we couldn't afford to mend multiple signatures in
order to save sewing, we might box it-but we rarely do this if a volume is
actually being used by patrons-we see that items that are boxed and used again end
up coming back with even more damage and usually missing pages...but if we choose
to adhesive bind it, we have kept all of the pages together as a unit, and the
book can be used by many patrons in the future before failure is seen.

I just wanted to take one minute to point out in this discussion that although we
all love books as objects-they do serve a utilaritarian purpose-and if the
adhesive binding kept the pages of the book that had printed information on them
together.....maybe someone should be congratulated for a book with no missing
pages instead of denegrated for having no signatures.

Just a thought-thanks for indulging me.
--
Meg Brown
Collections Conservator
North Carolina State University Libraries
Preservation Department
Campus Box 7111
Raleigh, NC 27695-7111
meg_brown@xxxxxxxx
(919)513-7018

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