It’s preservation week! An entire week dedicated to discussing the concerns and solutions regarding preservation of rare books and unique collections. Here in the Archives & Special Collections at the University of Puget Sound, we’ll be showing you some common preservation concerns, highlighting our own collections.
Frayed Edges:
Frayed or chipped edges are defined as “a mark or flaw caused by scuffing, gouging, or breaking off of a small piece of the dust jacket, pages, or back-strip [of a book].” These flaws are caused not only by scuffing or gouging; they may also be caused by a number of environmental factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in temperature and humidity (causing a degradation of paper), direct light, oxidation, and water damage (paper weakness and fraying), and acidity (brittle paper). Therefore, as a preventative measure, be sure to keep your materials in ideal conditions. And if it’s too late, protect your delicate and damaged materials in preservation binders rather than on an open shelf, such as the example above.
Sources:
https://www.library.cornell.edu/preservation/publications/PreservingBooks.pdf
http://www.alibris.com/glossary/glossary-books#c
By Monica Patterson